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josiah17's reviews
241 reviews
Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury
Kind of an untraditional exploration of horror, but beautiful in its themes at the same time. Bradbury uses a more flowery and almost dramatized approach to his prose which creates an interesting reading experience. Good book. Glad I finally read another Bradbury novel and I'll read more this year for sure.
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
"Everything that happens before Death is what counts.”
Kind of an untraditional exploration of horror, but beautiful in its themes at the same time. Bradbury uses a more flowery and almost dramatized approach to his prose which creates an interesting reading experience. Good book. Glad I finally read another Bradbury novel and I'll read more this year for sure.
Dad," said Will, his voice very faint. "Are you a good person?"
"To you and your mother, yes, I try. But no man's a hero to himself. I've lived with me a lifetime, Will. I know everything worth knowing about myself-"
"And, adding it all up...?"
"The sum? As they come and go, and I mostly sit very still and tight, yes, I'm all right.”
The Mad Ship by Robin Hobb
adventurous
dark
slow-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
5.0
Hobb's writing is finally really clicking with me in this trilogy and I'm very glad. I love how atmospheric her writing is and how it conveys such wonder and magic. Especially when our characters are on liveships.
Speaking of characters, I enjoyed more of the cast this time around in comparison to book one. I loved Althea and Wintrow again, but I started to find Kennit's development really compelling and enjoyable, as well as Etta. Malta was continuously annoying initially, but she might be coming around too based on the last 15% of this book.
Ultimately I think I'm enjoying this series immensely mostly due to the character interactions and seafaring, and how it's all tied together and grounded by such fabulous prose. I love me some good nautical fantasy, and family drama has never been so addicting.
(I also liked this book more than the first thanks to the limited page time for Kyle)
Speaking of characters, I enjoyed more of the cast this time around in comparison to book one. I loved Althea and Wintrow again, but I started to find Kennit's development really compelling and enjoyable, as well as Etta. Malta was continuously annoying initially, but she might be coming around too based on the last 15% of this book.
Ultimately I think I'm enjoying this series immensely mostly due to the character interactions and seafaring, and how it's all tied together and grounded by such fabulous prose. I love me some good nautical fantasy, and family drama has never been so addicting.
(I also liked this book more than the first thanks to the limited page time for Kyle)
"Half the evil in this world occurs while decent people stand by and do nothing wrong. It's not enough to refrain from evil, Trell. People have to attempt to do right, even if they believe they cannot succeed."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault and Sexual violence
Stone of Farewell by Tad Williams
adventurous
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Edit 10/9/24: Honestly when thinking about this series, I think about this book a lot and how whimsical and powerful the classical fantasy vibes were. It's still extra slow at times, but definitely worth the bump from 3.75 stars to 4 stars.
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I've been in a bit of a reading slump after Memories of Ice, so that hindered this read a little bit. However, I still enjoyed this more than I expected considering some of the mixed reviews I've seen. Yeah, it's got a little bit of what could be called the middle book syndrome, focused on getting characters to a specific location and less action-oriented plot movement. But I still found many sections to be exciting and pretty consequential. I think there was a good balance between expanding on the worldbuilding and moving characters around to set up the chess board. Speaking of worldbuilding, I remain in awe of Tad's ability in this department. Osten Ard is simply such an enchanting fantasy landscape. His prose brings this world to life.
While I did find some sections exciting, I also struggled quite a bit with portions of the last third of the book. Again, partially due to the slump I'm in, but there were some fairly slow and uneventful chapters as well.
All in all, a good read, one I could bump the rating on as time passes. I'm extremely excited to read To Green Angel Tower in the coming months.
----------
I've been in a bit of a reading slump after Memories of Ice, so that hindered this read a little bit. However, I still enjoyed this more than I expected considering some of the mixed reviews I've seen. Yeah, it's got a little bit of what could be called the middle book syndrome, focused on getting characters to a specific location and less action-oriented plot movement. But I still found many sections to be exciting and pretty consequential. I think there was a good balance between expanding on the worldbuilding and moving characters around to set up the chess board. Speaking of worldbuilding, I remain in awe of Tad's ability in this department. Osten Ard is simply such an enchanting fantasy landscape. His prose brings this world to life.
While I did find some sections exciting, I also struggled quite a bit with portions of the last third of the book. Again, partially due to the slump I'm in, but there were some fairly slow and uneventful chapters as well.
All in all, a good read, one I could bump the rating on as time passes. I'm extremely excited to read To Green Angel Tower in the coming months.
“For all the things we've seen...my goodness, the world still has more to show us, doesn't it?"
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault
Cage of Souls by Adrian Tchaikovsky
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
First experience with Tchaikovsky was an unfortunate disappointment. I found the past-tense narration mostly enjoyable, and the post-apocalyptic world had some potential. I liked some of the elements of worldbuilding Tchaikovsky tried to explore, but I don't think he does it very thoroughly. Additionally, there were a few solid moments of commentary on human nature and our ability to be destructive.
I also liked one of the flashback sections. However I think the book is structured very poorly. First part I didn't particularly care about anything, then the first flashback section pulls me for it to irritatingly go back to the present. I'm then pulled in enough to be interested, but it ends on a cliffhanger and a new part begins where I never became invested. And then by the time we're back in the present, I really couldn't care less.
The plot was just not very compelling overall and the characters are completely forgettable. I thought the ending was incredibly messy as well. But somehow I still pushed through because I have a problem and can't dnf books.
I'll likely try something else by Tchaikovsky because I like his prose enough and I believe he can write something of good quality, but at the same time I'm not so sure that would be worth my time.
I also liked one of the flashback sections. However I think the book is structured very poorly. First part I didn't particularly care about anything, then the first flashback section pulls me for it to irritatingly go back to the present. I'm then pulled in enough to be interested, but it ends on a cliffhanger and a new part begins where I never became invested. And then by the time we're back in the present, I really couldn't care less.
The plot was just not very compelling overall and the characters are completely forgettable. I thought the ending was incredibly messy as well. But somehow I still pushed through because I have a problem and can't dnf books.
I'll likely try something else by Tchaikovsky because I like his prose enough and I believe he can write something of good quality, but at the same time I'm not so sure that would be worth my time.
Memories of Ice by Steven Erikson
challenging
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Well, I think it's safe to say Malazan is not for me. I actually thought I was somewhat enjoying this through the halfway point. Specifically due to the introduction of the K'Chain Che'Malle and the intrigue Silverfox presented. I also enjoyed Tool and Toc's interactions. However, that's it. And once I got into the latter half of this book, I realized I was really only pushing through this because it was a buddy read. If it weren't for buddy reading this with my friends, I would've DNF'd long ago. It was not a pleasant reading experience.
I found this to be somehow even more confusing and perplexing than the first two Malazan books. It feels like Erikson provided less context for the expanded worldbuilding and plotlines that take place here. I was lost 95% of the time. And I hate that feeling. What's the point of reading a book if it isn't comprehensible enough? Even when I try to relax and prevent myself from pushing to understand everything—per recommendation by Malazan fans—its still completely bewildering. Trying to use a wiki doesn't help enough either. And not to mention the ridiculous number of POV's in this book. I can't keep track of all the characters when Erikson jumps to at least 20 POV's throughout and doesn't revisit some for hundreds of pages. I used to try to take notes while reading these books but I gave up here because there was simply too much to try to track.
Additionally, especially regarding characters, I simply did not feel invested in anyone or anything. In my experience, I feel there's a severe lack of compelling character development in this series. I find the POV hopping to be a factor in this, not only from chapter to chapter or page to page, but from book to book. How am I expected to feel invested in characters and plotlines when jumping to different continents with each book? It's just exhausting to read something structured this way.
The only consistent factor I have found to be pleasant throughout Malazan is Erikson's prose. I think he's great with words and evokes a grim and mystical atmosphere with his writing that matches the tone and complexity of Malazan. Unfortunately, I'm not drawn in by anything else. I found Kruppe an entertaining character, and Anomander Rake is awesome. Both returning for some POV's in this book was nice. And I was excited to finally see the K'Chain Che'Malle, the sword-armed velociraptors I've heard so much about. The first scene they have in this book was awesome. However, I could not care less about anything else.
That was more of a messy rant than anything, but those are my thoughts on Memories of Ice and Malazan three books in. I enjoyed Gardens of the Moon, found Deadhouse Gates to be overwhelmingly grim and disappointing, and Memories of Ice dropped the ball even more. I do not expect to continue this series. On one hand I'm disappointed by that because I'd love to see what everyone else loves about this series, but I'm also happy to move on to books I'm actually looking forward to reading.
I found this to be somehow even more confusing and perplexing than the first two Malazan books. It feels like Erikson provided less context for the expanded worldbuilding and plotlines that take place here. I was lost 95% of the time. And I hate that feeling. What's the point of reading a book if it isn't comprehensible enough? Even when I try to relax and prevent myself from pushing to understand everything—per recommendation by Malazan fans—its still completely bewildering. Trying to use a wiki doesn't help enough either. And not to mention the ridiculous number of POV's in this book. I can't keep track of all the characters when Erikson jumps to at least 20 POV's throughout and doesn't revisit some for hundreds of pages. I used to try to take notes while reading these books but I gave up here because there was simply too much to try to track.
Additionally, especially regarding characters, I simply did not feel invested in anyone or anything. In my experience, I feel there's a severe lack of compelling character development in this series. I find the POV hopping to be a factor in this, not only from chapter to chapter or page to page, but from book to book. How am I expected to feel invested in characters and plotlines when jumping to different continents with each book? It's just exhausting to read something structured this way.
The only consistent factor I have found to be pleasant throughout Malazan is Erikson's prose. I think he's great with words and evokes a grim and mystical atmosphere with his writing that matches the tone and complexity of Malazan. Unfortunately, I'm not drawn in by anything else. I found Kruppe an entertaining character, and Anomander Rake is awesome. Both returning for some POV's in this book was nice. And I was excited to finally see the K'Chain Che'Malle, the sword-armed velociraptors I've heard so much about. The first scene they have in this book was awesome. However, I could not care less about anything else.
That was more of a messy rant than anything, but those are my thoughts on Memories of Ice and Malazan three books in. I enjoyed Gardens of the Moon, found Deadhouse Gates to be overwhelmingly grim and disappointing, and Memories of Ice dropped the ball even more. I do not expect to continue this series. On one hand I'm disappointed by that because I'd love to see what everyone else loves about this series, but I'm also happy to move on to books I'm actually looking forward to reading.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and War
The Legacy of Yangchen by F.C. Yee
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Decent. Definitely better than the first Yangchen book that's for sure. Although my experience with this one certainly would've benefited from a reread of The Dawn of Yangchen because I was a little lost in the beginning as my notes for that book were a little insufficient. The beginning also felt like a bit of damage control as well, but the book started to find it's footing later on.
Overall I just wish the Yangchen books would've followed a different plotline that was perhaps more efficiently planned and executed. But again, this was decent, especially considering how much I disliked the first book. Let's hope the Roku duology is better.
Overall I just wish the Yangchen books would've followed a different plotline that was perhaps more efficiently planned and executed. But again, this was decent, especially considering how much I disliked the first book. Let's hope the Roku duology is better.
Never Die by Rob J. Hayes
Pretty entertaining. The prose is solid, and the action is fun. Surprisingly good lore for how short this is as well. Unfortunately I didn't really care too much for the characters besides Itami Cho, but the compelling plot compensated for that. I will definitely be reading more Rob J. Hayes.
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
"Some swords strike with a growl, some with a roar. Some shake the battle like a rock slide, some bring rain like a wild flame. But there is one sword that passes with but a whisper, and you shall know it for it says: Death has been here."
Pretty entertaining. The prose is solid, and the action is fun. Surprisingly good lore for how short this is as well. Unfortunately I didn't really care too much for the characters besides Itami Cho, but the compelling plot compensated for that. I will definitely be reading more Rob J. Hayes.
Soul Music by Terry Pratchett
So ridiculously fun. I loved meeting Susan, Death's granddaughter, and watching her experience Death's perspective of the world. And I loved the dynamic between Glod, Imp, and Lias so so much. They're a blast to be around.
This isn't the most polished book in terms of plot; it's a little muddy with the subplots just as Reaper Man was, but I simply don't care because of how enjoyable this was. I can't say it enough: I love Terry Pratchett.
adventurous
funny
reflective
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? It's complicated
5.0
"Susan hated Literature. She'd much prefer to read a good book.”
So ridiculously fun. I loved meeting Susan, Death's granddaughter, and watching her experience Death's perspective of the world. And I loved the dynamic between Glod, Imp, and Lias so so much. They're a blast to be around.
This isn't the most polished book in terms of plot; it's a little muddy with the subplots just as Reaper Man was, but I simply don't care because of how enjoyable this was. I can't say it enough: I love Terry Pratchett.
Shōgun by James Clavell
There are some other really great characters too. Toranaga, Mariko, Yagu, Omi, Fujiko. Particularly Toranaga and Mariko. Just excellent character work from Clavell.
I've said this many times before, but a Japanese setting is just one of my favorite settings. I love the aesthetic, and I love how the setting and culture is at the forefront of this novel as Blackthorne is thrusted into this foreign land and forced to adapt and learn. It never felt like I was reading a history book or a cultural textbook. It felt almost seamless because the reader is also learning alongside Blackthorne.
For criticisms, I would say it took me about 200 pages to feel immersed. But I was interested, it was just felt like a lot at the beginning. But maybe that was a me thing and just what I was feeling when I picked up the book. But also, the prose is a little off-putting at first. It's not a knock on Clavell, it's just how the dialogue is because he's writing as Japanese, Portuguese, and Latin translated to English. So the dialogue can often feel disjointed or unusual, but I did get pretty used to it. Otherwise I think Clavell writes pretty well. The action scenes were maybe a little lackluster though, although there were not that many for a 1300 page book which was completely fine.
Altogether, a very intriguing and valuable read. I think I'll continue reading the rest of Clavell's Asian Saga.
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
slow-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
4.5
Edit 2/29/24: Bumping to 4.5 stars. I've been thinking about this book a lot, especially with the amazing premiere of the FX TV adaptation. It's a historical epic that I will surely revisit sometime down the road.
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I'm very glad I finally read this book. From the brief research that I've done, it seems to be a fairly accurate depiction of 17th century feudal Japan. You have the daimyos fighting over their regions and the Shogunate. The religious clash between Buddhism, Christians, and Catholics. The different gender roles of men and women and the formalities of respect and obedience when interacting with each other. It seems Clavell did his due diligence with studying the historical Japanese culture. However there's definitely some exaggeration of some cultural aspects for the sake of the fictional narrative, such as the absurd frequency of seppuku.
In regards to the overall narrative, it was quite compelling. The political tension was very well written. There's plenty of double-crossing, betrayal, and dishonesty for personal and regional gain. Blackthorne's story also kept me engaged once the whole book started to pick up. At first he's this deplorable Englishmen who views the Japanese in a very negative light, but then comes to appreciate the Japanese culture and becomes accustomed to the ways of the land. And there's even a surprisingly wonderful romance later on with his story.
----------
I'm very glad I finally read this book. From the brief research that I've done, it seems to be a fairly accurate depiction of 17th century feudal Japan. You have the daimyos fighting over their regions and the Shogunate. The religious clash between Buddhism, Christians, and Catholics. The different gender roles of men and women and the formalities of respect and obedience when interacting with each other. It seems Clavell did his due diligence with studying the historical Japanese culture. However there's definitely some exaggeration of some cultural aspects for the sake of the fictional narrative, such as the absurd frequency of seppuku.
In regards to the overall narrative, it was quite compelling. The political tension was very well written. There's plenty of double-crossing, betrayal, and dishonesty for personal and regional gain. Blackthorne's story also kept me engaged once the whole book started to pick up. At first he's this deplorable Englishmen who views the Japanese in a very negative light, but then comes to appreciate the Japanese culture and becomes accustomed to the ways of the land. And there's even a surprisingly wonderful romance later on with his story.
"How beautiful life is and how sad! How fleeting, with no past and no future, only a limitless now.”
There are some other really great characters too. Toranaga, Mariko, Yagu, Omi, Fujiko. Particularly Toranaga and Mariko. Just excellent character work from Clavell.
I've said this many times before, but a Japanese setting is just one of my favorite settings. I love the aesthetic, and I love how the setting and culture is at the forefront of this novel as Blackthorne is thrusted into this foreign land and forced to adapt and learn. It never felt like I was reading a history book or a cultural textbook. It felt almost seamless because the reader is also learning alongside Blackthorne.
"Only by living at the edge of death can you understand the indescribable joy of life.”
For criticisms, I would say it took me about 200 pages to feel immersed. But I was interested, it was just felt like a lot at the beginning. But maybe that was a me thing and just what I was feeling when I picked up the book. But also, the prose is a little off-putting at first. It's not a knock on Clavell, it's just how the dialogue is because he's writing as Japanese, Portuguese, and Latin translated to English. So the dialogue can often feel disjointed or unusual, but I did get pretty used to it. Otherwise I think Clavell writes pretty well. The action scenes were maybe a little lackluster though, although there were not that many for a 1300 page book which was completely fine.
Altogether, a very intriguing and valuable read. I think I'll continue reading the rest of Clavell's Asian Saga.
"What are clouds
But an excuse for the sky?
What is life
But an escape from death?"
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Sexual content, and Suicide
Moderate: Physical abuse
Ship of Magic by Robin Hobb
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
slow-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
4.5
I really wanted to love this, and I'm so glad I did. I was particularly excited to experience Hobb's writing in third person, and it was wonderful. Her prose remains top quality and very immersive.
This is overall just fantastic nautical fantasy with exceptional character writing, as well as complex and entertaining family dynamics. I enjoyed almost every POV for one reason or another. Hobb writes characters that you can root for here, and some that you vehemently despise. I cannot stand Kyle and Torg. Malta really annoyed me even though I understand she's still a kid, I just hope she learns and develops as a character. And I was always rooting for Brashen, Althea, and I really came to sympathize and feel attached to Wintrow. He deserves better, but unfortunately his father is beyond awful.
The additional worldbuilding for the Realm of the Elderlings with the liveships was also very interesting and unique. The idea of a sentient ship bonded through familial blood is amazing, especially because two ships have their own POV's and we get some insight into their perspectives. I'm very curious to learn more about the Rain Wild Traders as well. The relationships they have with the Bingtown traders is interesting, and I hope the sequels explore some of the actual Rain Wild territory. And I have a suspicion about the serpents, but I still don't really know what's going on with them. They're cool though.
Even though the plot was pretty non-existent for most of the book—per usual with Hobb so far—this was surprisingly just addicting to read. The blurb on the cover says "as addictive as morphine," and that's a pretty apt metaphor for my experience. Nautical fantasy just works so well for the visual movie I have running in my brain when reading, and it seems to scratch an itch. Paired with fantastic writing and captivating character dynamics, this is an amazing read. I could see myself bumping it to 5 stars depending on how the trilogy pans out.
This is overall just fantastic nautical fantasy with exceptional character writing, as well as complex and entertaining family dynamics. I enjoyed almost every POV for one reason or another. Hobb writes characters that you can root for here, and some that you vehemently despise. I cannot stand Kyle and Torg. Malta really annoyed me even though I understand she's still a kid, I just hope she learns and develops as a character. And I was always rooting for Brashen, Althea, and I really came to sympathize and feel attached to Wintrow. He deserves better, but unfortunately his father is beyond awful.
The additional worldbuilding for the Realm of the Elderlings with the liveships was also very interesting and unique. The idea of a sentient ship bonded through familial blood is amazing, especially because two ships have their own POV's and we get some insight into their perspectives. I'm very curious to learn more about the Rain Wild Traders as well. The relationships they have with the Bingtown traders is interesting, and I hope the sequels explore some of the actual Rain Wild territory. And I have a suspicion about the serpents, but I still don't really know what's going on with them. They're cool though.
Even though the plot was pretty non-existent for most of the book—per usual with Hobb so far—this was surprisingly just addicting to read. The blurb on the cover says "as addictive as morphine," and that's a pretty apt metaphor for my experience. Nautical fantasy just works so well for the visual movie I have running in my brain when reading, and it seems to scratch an itch. Paired with fantastic writing and captivating character dynamics, this is an amazing read. I could see myself bumping it to 5 stars depending on how the trilogy pans out.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Slavery, Toxic relationship, and Trafficking
Moderate: Sexual content and Sexual violence