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marthmuffins's reviews
304 reviews
The Girl With All the Gifts by M.R. Carey
book but it was great fun. Intense and the pace moved pretty fast.
.
3.0
Pretty good. I had no idea what this book was about when I picked it up and was pretty surprised that it was a
Spoiler
zombieThe main characters were all interesting although I didn't really like any of them except the main character of Melanie they were all a little to single minded for my liking.
Overall I'd recommend it to anyone who likes thrillers, creepy kids and
Spoiler
zombies
Fire & Blood by George R.R. Martin
4.0
Gives a load of insight into the Targaryen's and their history as well as a metric ton of dragon action, battles, intrigue and sexy times for everyone.
This book is written largely like a history book which may throw some off at first but once you get into it you can have a lot of fun. There is a massive barrage of names, places and events which can be difficult to keep your head around at times but if you can just go with the flow then you should have no problem at all.
The main problem I have is the large tangents that the book goes off on about characters than only play a minor part in the history covered in the book that could really have been cut down more.
Apart from that this book gave a valuable look at the history of Westero's before the main series and the novella's.
I'd recommend it to only for the most hardcore completionists of ASOIAF.
This book is written largely like a history book which may throw some off at first but once you get into it you can have a lot of fun. There is a massive barrage of names, places and events which can be difficult to keep your head around at times but if you can just go with the flow then you should have no problem at all.
The main problem I have is the large tangents that the book goes off on about characters than only play a minor part in the history covered in the book that could really have been cut down more.
Apart from that this book gave a valuable look at the history of Westero's before the main series and the novella's.
I'd recommend it to only for the most hardcore completionists of ASOIAF.
Star Wars: The Courtship of Princess Leia by Dave Wolverton, Dave Wolverton
2.0
This was... Interesting.
I never really intended to read this book, I'd heard it was weird and it was classed as a romance novel so I never really thought about reading it. That was until reaching the end of Solo Command and coming to a message reading "The story of Han Solo and Warlord Zsinj continues in 'The Courtship of Princess Leia' by Dave Wolverton". After the first four X-Wing books hinted at Zsinj's power and finally getting to see him in action in the Wraith Squadron Trilogy I desperately wanted to know how Han took him down and I guess I found out.
The book revolves around Leia considering a marriage to Prince Isolder of the Hapes Consortium (which may be known to fans of the New Jedi Order and Legacy eras of Star Wars Legends), a matriarchal society which is incredibly sexist towards the men of the Hapes Cluster and while men aren't treated terribly they are just dismissed as "mere men".
Han gets jealous of this and decides to 'convince' Leia (kidnap) to come on a romantic getaway with him to his newly won planet, Dathomir (which may be familiar to fans of The Clone Wars as were all those Witches live) alongside Threepio and Chewie. Dathomir also has a matriarchal society due to only the women being able to use the Force.
Luke and Artoo track down Han with help from Isolder and they are all shot down over Dathomir by Zsinj and we now have a plot.
Characters. Everybody is mischaracterised in this book, everybody. Han is a crazy kidnapper who won't take no for an answer (he also has some really weird comments and jokes "I've seen so much darkness lately"), Leia jumps between stuck up and arrogant, being genuinely useful and a sobbing emotional wreck within the same page, Luke is probably the most accurate of the big three but still he occasionally reverts from episode VI Luke to whiny farmboy Luke, Threepio is annoying as ever and even sings at one point ("What a man Solo!"), Chewie is a massive coward, Lando is never mentioned and Artoo beeps occasionally to remind us he's there.
The new characters are a little strange too. Isolder is a sexy hunk that listens to your feelings and will defend you to the death, Zsinj and Melvar are incompetently evil, all the Dathomirians and Hapains don't understand why everyone is so angry that they treat men terribly.
A lot of weird stuff happens too. Threepio starts singing, Han kidnaps Leia, Han wrestles a hundred metre long Wuffa Worm out of the ground, Luke goes into a strange acid trippy Force hallucination, Rancors start using armour and weapons etc.
Admittedly some of the stuff with Luke and the Force is quite interesting and learning about the old Jedi Order (before the Prequels decided to go in a different direction) was good.
Overall though I liked it. I wouldn't say it's good but it's strange and if you go in not really expecting much and ready to laugh at the weird bits then you should have a good time.
P.S. The fact that the kept calling the Iron Fist a Star Destroyer instead of a Super Star Destroyer in some of it's appearances really annoyed me.
I never really intended to read this book, I'd heard it was weird and it was classed as a romance novel so I never really thought about reading it. That was until reaching the end of Solo Command and coming to a message reading "The story of Han Solo and Warlord Zsinj continues in 'The Courtship of Princess Leia' by Dave Wolverton". After the first four X-Wing books hinted at Zsinj's power and finally getting to see him in action in the Wraith Squadron Trilogy I desperately wanted to know how Han took him down and I guess I found out.
The book revolves around Leia considering a marriage to Prince Isolder of the Hapes Consortium (which may be known to fans of the New Jedi Order and Legacy eras of Star Wars Legends), a matriarchal society which is incredibly sexist towards the men of the Hapes Cluster and while men aren't treated terribly they are just dismissed as "mere men".
Han gets jealous of this and decides to 'convince' Leia (kidnap) to come on a romantic getaway with him to his newly won planet, Dathomir (which may be familiar to fans of The Clone Wars as were all those Witches live) alongside Threepio and Chewie. Dathomir also has a matriarchal society due to only the women being able to use the Force.
Luke and Artoo track down Han with help from Isolder and they are all shot down over Dathomir by Zsinj and we now have a plot.
Characters. Everybody is mischaracterised in this book, everybody. Han is a crazy kidnapper who won't take no for an answer (he also has some really weird comments and jokes "I've seen so much darkness lately"), Leia jumps between stuck up and arrogant, being genuinely useful and a sobbing emotional wreck within the same page, Luke is probably the most accurate of the big three but still he occasionally reverts from episode VI Luke to whiny farmboy Luke, Threepio is annoying as ever and even sings at one point ("What a man Solo!"), Chewie is a massive coward, Lando is never mentioned and Artoo beeps occasionally to remind us he's there.
The new characters are a little strange too. Isolder is a sexy hunk that listens to your feelings and will defend you to the death, Zsinj and Melvar are incompetently evil, all the Dathomirians and Hapains don't understand why everyone is so angry that they treat men terribly.
A lot of weird stuff happens too. Threepio starts singing, Han kidnaps Leia, Han wrestles a hundred metre long Wuffa Worm out of the ground, Luke goes into a strange acid trippy Force hallucination, Rancors start using armour and weapons etc.
Admittedly some of the stuff with Luke and the Force is quite interesting and learning about the old Jedi Order (before the Prequels decided to go in a different direction) was good.
Overall though I liked it. I wouldn't say it's good but it's strange and if you go in not really expecting much and ready to laugh at the weird bits then you should have a good time.
P.S. The fact that the kept calling the Iron Fist a Star Destroyer instead of a Super Star Destroyer in some of it's appearances really annoyed me.
Elantris by Brandon Sanderson
3.0
Elantris is Brandon Sanderson's debut novel about a decayed city of fallen gods. It opens with one of the main characters, Raoden prince of Arelon (yes I hate the name Arelon but I can forgive it), being taken by the crippling Shaod and thrown into the dead city, Elantris. At the same time Raoden's bride to be, Sarene, arrives in the capital, Kae, to find herself a widow and a high priest, Hrathen, of an opposing faith has arrived to convert Arelon and save it from invasion.
And so the story begins.
As ever Sanderson focuses on character over flashy action. Raoden tries to make the best of a terrible situation, Sarene tries thwart Hrathen's plans at every turn while also trying to become accepted in Kae's court and Hrathen tries to convert Kae while in turn questioning his own faith.
If you expect frequent action sequences like the Mistborn Trilogy then you'll be disappointed. There is very little action until the climax as most of the book is spent plotting, planning and posturing.
Raoden really is just a nice guy (and not in an annoying way). He cares deeply for everyone, no matter who they are or were. This is shown through his various interactions with the occupants of Elantris as he brings a little hope back to their lives.
Sarene is a manipulator. She uses peoples perceptions of her to manipulate their actions and try to halt Hrathen's conversion attempts at any cost. She is also deeply self-conscious, fearing she won't fit in in this new country and new court, especially after the experiences she had back in her homeland of Teod.
Hrathen is a logical man. He uses logic to try and convert Arelon so he can 'save' them from themselves (and the oncoming invasion). However he begins to question if he truly believes what he preaches or if its just a job to him now.
Unlike most Brandon Sanderson stories this doesn't really focus on the magic so much as the politics of Sel.
Apart from a rushed climax and the name Arelon I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone interested in fantasy, Brandon Sanderson or the Cosmere. I would recommend reading Mistborn first though to get you into his books.
25000000000/:)
And so the story begins.
As ever Sanderson focuses on character over flashy action. Raoden tries to make the best of a terrible situation, Sarene tries thwart Hrathen's plans at every turn while also trying to become accepted in Kae's court and Hrathen tries to convert Kae while in turn questioning his own faith.
If you expect frequent action sequences like the Mistborn Trilogy then you'll be disappointed. There is very little action until the climax as most of the book is spent plotting, planning and posturing.
Raoden really is just a nice guy (and not in an annoying way). He cares deeply for everyone, no matter who they are or were. This is shown through his various interactions with the occupants of Elantris as he brings a little hope back to their lives.
Sarene is a manipulator. She uses peoples perceptions of her to manipulate their actions and try to halt Hrathen's conversion attempts at any cost. She is also deeply self-conscious, fearing she won't fit in in this new country and new court, especially after the experiences she had back in her homeland of Teod.
Hrathen is a logical man. He uses logic to try and convert Arelon so he can 'save' them from themselves (and the oncoming invasion). However he begins to question if he truly believes what he preaches or if its just a job to him now.
Unlike most Brandon Sanderson stories this doesn't really focus on the magic so much as the politics of Sel.
Apart from a rushed climax and the name Arelon I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone interested in fantasy, Brandon Sanderson or the Cosmere. I would recommend reading Mistborn first though to get you into his books.
25000000000/:)
Alliances by Timothy Zahn
3.0
Two fun interconnected adventures with Thrawn and Vader in the Galactic Civil War period (set between series 3 and 4 of the Rebels cartoon) and Anakin, Thrawn and Padme during the Clone Wars (set between Series 5 and 6 of the The Clone Wars cartoon).
Has some interesting set up for possible future events too with the main villians.
However, Thrawn wasn't present nearly as much as you'd think he would be with the title of the book and especially during The Clone Wars story where he feels more like he's just there because he needed to be for the book top be a Thrawn book. Also the way the force is used with the double vision bits was a little weird.
Overall I really enjoyed this book and it's given me a couple ideas for possible new stories that could be happening with the Chiss, Mitth'raw'nuruodo and Ezra Bridger.
Has some interesting set up for possible future events too with the main villians.
However, Thrawn wasn't present nearly as much as you'd think he would be with the title of the book and especially during The Clone Wars story where he feels more like he's just there because he needed to be for the book top be a Thrawn book. Also the way the force is used with the double vision bits was a little weird.
Overall I really enjoyed this book and it's given me a couple ideas for possible new stories that could be happening with the Chiss, Mitth'raw'nuruodo and Ezra Bridger.