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strombolibones's reviews
271 reviews
The Night Ends With Fire by K.X. Song
4.0
Another W for Storygraph's recommendations section + great cover art!
A modern retelling of the Legend of Mulan that is essentially the Disney movie Mulan of it was rated R and had magic instead of singing, this book is more or less what you'd get!
Reading a book where the main antagonist is essentially Misogyny was really uncomfortable during the current political climate.
I wouldn't say the book blew me away but it definitely slaps. It's also a Duology with book 2 coming out in August, and I'm really excited.
Extra props for the gangster naming convention: The Dragon Wakes with Thunder
A modern retelling of the Legend of Mulan that is essentially the Disney movie Mulan of it was rated R and had magic instead of singing, this book is more or less what you'd get!
Reading a book where the main antagonist is essentially Misogyny was really uncomfortable during the current political climate.
I wouldn't say the book blew me away but it definitely slaps. It's also a Duology with book 2 coming out in August, and I'm really excited.
Extra props for the gangster naming convention: The Dragon Wakes with Thunder
The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett
2.5
A whodunit set in an epic fantasy world that hooked me right away, but fell flat in the end. Not even a 3 way buddy read salvaged this one for me.
The magic system and world-building were both pretty cool, the characters were fine, and I do enjoy myself a good Whodunit now and again, but...
Unfortunately this one really started to drag around the halfway point for me. I think the scale of Epic Fantasy was too big for this book (Unlike City of Stairs). The story worked really well within the World RJB set up, but as more and more parties and factions were introduced, then when the classic "Investigator info-dumps how they deduced Whodunit" reveal happens at the end, I found myself going "Wait who's that? Who was.... Who!?" Maybe that's on me, I started to check out like 50-66% through, BUT then there were also bits where information was revealed as though the author forgot that they already divulged that info to the reader, I guess? And I noticed those.... So I was paying attention enough for that!... Idk man, really mixed bag on this one.
Ultimately I think this book was far weaker than City of Stairs (same author, complete Trilogy) which in turn was weaker than Murder at Spindle Manor (which really leaned into the comedic angle - different author, complete trilogy) and so I'd recommend you read either of those instead.
The magic system and world-building were both pretty cool, the characters were fine, and I do enjoy myself a good Whodunit now and again, but...
Unfortunately this one really started to drag around the halfway point for me. I think the scale of Epic Fantasy was too big for this book (Unlike City of Stairs). The story worked really well within the World RJB set up, but as more and more parties and factions were introduced, then when the classic "Investigator info-dumps how they deduced Whodunit" reveal happens at the end, I found myself going "Wait who's that? Who was.... Who!?" Maybe that's on me, I started to check out like 50-66% through, BUT then there were also bits where information was revealed as though the author forgot that they already divulged that info to the reader, I guess? And I noticed those.... So I was paying attention enough for that!... Idk man, really mixed bag on this one.
Ultimately I think this book was far weaker than City of Stairs (same author, complete Trilogy) which in turn was weaker than Murder at Spindle Manor (which really leaned into the comedic angle - different author, complete trilogy) and so I'd recommend you read either of those instead.
Severed Echoes by Anya Dylan
Did not finish book. Stopped at 69%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 69%.
Forgive me Amanda for I have sinned
Blood of the Old Kings by Sung-il Kim
4.0
Picked this up solely because of the cover, which surprisingly I saw in Storygraph's recommendation section 👀
I have to mention the 9 hour length, absolutely no fat in this book. In fact, it almost felt like the "Unga Bunga" *second half* of a book, and.... somehow that worked really well. The opening scene isthe main character meeting a dragon, making a pact, and getting a magic dragon sword , which usually happens in Act 2 or 3, but we're dropped into that right off the rip here. Those things then begin paying off the very next time we get her POV, which is only a few chapters later, and it's pretty sick ngl.
3 POVs, each with their own narrator, and while I probably wouldn't put any of them in my all-timers list, I enjoyed them all!
How this ONE small book managed to secure THREE excellent narrators while other books (some rather popular 👀) seem to choose theirs from the unemployment line is beyond me.
Is the story kinda generic?
Yes.
Is the title super generic?
Also yes.
Is that title stated in the first 2 minutes, and is that really lame?
Absolutely.
Did I blow through this in 2 days and have a blast?
Heisenberg saying "You're God damn right".gif
I have to mention the 9 hour length, absolutely no fat in this book. In fact, it almost felt like the "Unga Bunga" *second half* of a book, and.... somehow that worked really well. The opening scene is
3 POVs, each with their own narrator, and while I probably wouldn't put any of them in my all-timers list, I enjoyed them all!
How this ONE small book managed to secure THREE excellent narrators while other books (some rather popular 👀) seem to choose theirs from the unemployment line is beyond me.
Is the story kinda generic?
Yes.
Is the title super generic?
Also yes.
Is that title stated in the first 2 minutes, and is that really lame?
Absolutely.
Did I blow through this in 2 days and have a blast?
Heisenberg saying "You're God damn right".gif