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the_gandy_man's reviews
115 reviews
Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes
Did not finish book. Stopped at 31%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 31%.
I like the core Don Quixote stuff. Don Quixote and Sancho Panza are really entertaining. It's just so slow. It hasn't felt like it's actually been moving in a while, and when it does move it then goes off and talks about something I don't care about for a while. The language makes it really easy to just zone out. It feels like, even listening to the audiobook, I have to be constantly focusing to actually have a sense of what's going on. It's all just not worth it for me. It took me a month to get this far, and as much as I want to have read Don Quixote, I'd much rather listen to other books for the next two months.
2.75 stars
2.75 stars
The Emperor's Soul by Brandon Sanderson
3.75
Very interesting magic system, which is the focus of the story. I like how it talks about the philosophical implications of the magic and shows different perspectives on the morality of it. The characters are good and the plot is tight all the way through. I was hoping the ending would elevate the story to one of Sanderson's best, but instead I found it to be predictable. It was a good ending, but it wasn't anywhere near some of Sanderson's others, which was disappointing.
The Eleventh Metal by Brandon Sanderson
3.5
As the second of Sanderson's short stories that I've read, I liked this more than The Hope of Elantris. This story expands Kelsier a bit and shows us a character that we never actually got to see in the Mistborn trilogy. It's got a little too much exposition, since it's meant to be accessible to someone who hasn't read Mistborn. It's good though.
The Hope of Elantris by Brandon Sanderson
3.25
It's fine. I don't know that it really adds anything, but it's a pleasant little read.
Caliban's War by James S.A. Corey
4.0
Great book. It's not as good as the first one, primarily in that the central plot and mystery is not nearly as intriguing as the first book. The characters are great. Holden's arc feels a little forced, but it works. It still makes me really excited to keep reading this series.
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
3.0
I dunno it's fine I guess. It's got all the themes and whatnot and that's all good, but it doesn't feel like it has anything new to say. I'm sure it was groundbreaking stuff in 1925, but for me today it feels weak. Like oh wow they're racist and classist and sexist I've never seen this one before. Again, that's not the books fault. In fact, I'm sure The Great Gatsby helped to inspire all of the places I've seen these themes done better. It doesn't change the fact that I didn't find the book especially compelling. It's also kind of boring in that old book kind of way. The first 60% or so of the book feels like we're just setting up for something interesting to happen.