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nomit's reviews
18 reviews
John Dies at the End by David Wong
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Man, I don't know how to rate this book. It's certainly a trip - and the author himself acknowledge the "fever-induced acid trip" quality of this work (quoting from memory) in a later edition.
It's certainly unlike anything else I've read. It's kind of the narrative equivalent of one of those dreams where you ride an impossible rollercoaster, but this time it also moves in the fifth dimension and you're stoned out of your mind.
Which is to say: some parts of this were really hard to get through, because I just couldn't figure out what was going on and I felt like the floor had dropped out from under the narrative universe. Other parts however were very cohesive and just plain hilarious and exciting.
This ... duality? might be due to the book's original publication as several more-or-less-disjointed blog entries.
It's certainly unlike anything else I've read. It's kind of the narrative equivalent of one of those dreams where you ride an impossible rollercoaster, but this time it also moves in the fifth dimension and you're stoned out of your mind.
Which is to say: some parts of this were really hard to get through, because I just couldn't figure out what was going on and I felt like the floor had dropped out from under the narrative universe. Other parts however were very cohesive and just plain hilarious and exciting.
This ... duality? might be due to the book's original publication as several more-or-less-disjointed blog entries.
Blood of Elves by Andrzej Sapkowski
adventurous
challenging
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
While re-reading the entire Witcher saga, I've found that this book in particular had me stumped. I think it's the glacial pacing. Granted, most of that is set-up for the following books and there are really very touching scenes in here (mostly Ciri in and around Kaer Morhen). However, I find the first chapter really hard to get into (Dandelion singing at the campfire) and later chapters such as the kings meeting and discussing what to do about Nilfgaard and Ciri are really hard to follow. I had to listen to most of those slower chapters a handful times because my attention kept slipping away.
Ciaphas Cain: Hero of the Imperium by Sandy Mitchell
Did not finish book. Stopped at 39%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 39%.
This was to be my introduction into Warhammer 40k. A couple of reddit threads suggested that the Ciaphas Cain series was a good starting point. I can't really judge that, as I haven't read any other 40k material so far. So here's a couple of loose thoughts as to why I didn't finish this book.
1) It doesn't really do a good job of setting up the universe or the stakes of the (constant) fights. The enemy seems to be the enemy because they're, well, the enemy and also aliens. But why is that bad? Why are the tau regarded with such mistrust? Why would it be bad for the genestealers to infiltrate the Empire?
2) I kinda liked Ciaphas as a transparently self-deprecating underachiever becoming unwilling war hero.
3) I did not like the constant fighting. There's always a fight going on somewhere, which shouldn't be surprising in a universe called Warhammer, but it get's kinda meh if I can't bring myself to care about it (see point 1).
There were a couple of other really nice ideas in here (the Valhallan troops or the near-mutiny they caused e.g.) but overall reading it felt like a chore.
1) It doesn't really do a good job of setting up the universe or the stakes of the (constant) fights. The enemy seems to be the enemy because they're, well, the enemy and also aliens. But why is that bad? Why are the tau regarded with such mistrust? Why would it be bad for the genestealers to infiltrate the Empire?
2) I kinda liked Ciaphas as a transparently self-deprecating underachiever becoming unwilling war hero.
3) I did not like the constant fighting. There's always a fight going on somewhere, which shouldn't be surprising in a universe called Warhammer, but it get's kinda meh if I can't bring myself to care about it (see point 1).
There were a couple of other really nice ideas in here (the Valhallan troops or the near-mutiny they caused e.g.) but overall reading it felt like a chore.
Pinke Monster by Claus Daniel Hermann
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Ein wunderschön gezeichnete Coming-of-Age-Geschichte mit besonderen Herausforderungen.
Themen: Depression, Esoterik, LGBTQ, erste Liebe, Eltern, Kunst.
Themen: Depression, Esoterik, LGBTQ, erste Liebe, Eltern, Kunst.
Autokorrektur – Mobilität für eine lebenswerte Welt by Katja Diehl
Did not finish book. Stopped at 37%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 37%.
Ach, falsches Publikum denke ich. Bin eh überzeugter Fahrradfanatiker und brauche nicht mehr überzeugt werden. Insgesamt fand ich den Stil / Ton des Buches auch irgendwie verkrampft und anstrengend, als würde ich die ganze Zeit angeschrieen ....
Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
A refreshing and chilling take on dystopian sci-fi. Chilling because it deals with a world made more and more unlivable by climate change. Democratic structures are eroding because of the climate crisis - and this book was originally written in 1993.
It's also refreshing, because the protagonist is very different from most other sci-fi heroes. Her main talent is less strength and tech (the way sci-fi protagonists generally tend to be) and more empathy and understanding.
It's cool, I liked it, even though it does get dark at times.
Very, very soothingly read. Highly recommend the audio book version.
It's also refreshing, because the protagonist is very different from most other sci-fi heroes. Her main talent is less strength and tech (the way sci-fi protagonists generally tend to be) and more empathy and understanding.
It's cool, I liked it, even though it does get dark at times.
Very, very soothingly read. Highly recommend the audio book version.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape
Babel: An Arcane History by R.F. Kuang
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.25
I really wanted to love it. It starts out so good! The world-building is fantastic, the characters are believable and the description of alternate-universe Victorian Oxford and student life is very vivid.
The plot is also mostly intriguing ... until you get to the last quarter or so. Man, what a slog. The plot becomes increasingly silly, one of the main characters does an aggravating heel turn and the not-even-subtle anti-colonialist subtext becomes outright preachy and overt.
On top of that, the audio recording does not appear to have had any sort of quality assurance. It's mostly good, but every so often it skips a word or even half a sentence, volume and tone varies from one word to the next and sometimes, without rhyme or reason, a different narrator pronounces Chinese phrases. But then again, sometimes not. It's really mysterious.
The plot is also mostly intriguing ... until you get to the last quarter or so. Man, what a slog. The plot becomes increasingly silly, one of the main characters does an aggravating heel turn and the not-even-subtle anti-colonialist subtext becomes outright preachy and overt.
On top of that, the audio recording does not appear to have had any sort of quality assurance. It's mostly good, but every so often it skips a word or even half a sentence, volume and tone varies from one word to the next and sometimes, without rhyme or reason, a different narrator pronounces Chinese phrases. But then again, sometimes not. It's really mysterious.
The Rhesus Chart by Charles Stross
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
One of the best entries in the Laundry Files series. Gideon Emery is doing a superb job as the narrator, as always.