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the_scrivener_named_bartleby's Reviews (139)
The premise of the previous book had to be greatly twisted in order to make this one possible. It couldn't have been a new person undergoing the Hunger Games, and maybe they get further in subverting them, it was Katniss again in order to set up vague revenge against the Capitol. Moreover, this is where any salient points went to die as far as the last book. It is now a Twilight-esque deliberation of feelings between Katniss and Peeta/Gale, and everyone the reader may have liked is an unequivocal ally and everyone the book took no time to characterize is an automatic villain.
A cliffhanger is written for the sake of having one; this is not a complete story on its own, it is just further setup for the third of its installment. This book is all lather and no rinse, and was very frustrating to read.
A cliffhanger is written for the sake of having one; this is not a complete story on its own, it is just further setup for the third of its installment. This book is all lather and no rinse, and was very frustrating to read.
A colossal waste of the finite time I had on this Earth.
This book was pitched to me, really, as the gateway into a club of hipsters who managed to have the patience to suffer through this book's over-explanation and lack of editing so atrocious that new words are made around it to justify its unforgivable length and stupidity.
The death of the author does not make this a work of art. The individual parts that would make this funny or prophetic-the singer president, the garbage-launcher to Canada, people dying from a giant cheeseburger held by the Statue of Liberty, the Stand-By-Me Quebec wheelchair cult, and a movie so good people shit themselves to death watching it-are all buried in overexplanation and an utterly miserable slog of Hal's dad's ghost, weird criticism of Alcoholics Anonymous as a concept, addiction, and suicide. All of these are done much better in other books, but forcing them all in one place and watching it unfold is like looking into a madman's brain and hearing others proclaim it as genius.
There is no interpreting this book as a whole. At most, people can cite parts of it, stripped from their context in order to show off what they imagine are the few nuggets of intelligence this book has to offer. I argue it never had to be written this way. This book is the literary equivalent of running a marathon or losing your virginity: after so much hype, it happens and you think "Well, now what." Nothing changes. You will not change as a person, unless you're insufferable and begin writing "w/r/t" in emails, and in such a case I don't think the book changed anything so much as exacerbated it.
There is a chance you might like this book, that everything I've said could be appealing to you. If what I said sounds funny, go for it! But for the love of God, if what you were sold on was "it's a very long book and few people read it lol" then there is no promised land, there is no elite members club, there is no self-improvement to be found.
This book was pitched to me, really, as the gateway into a club of hipsters who managed to have the patience to suffer through this book's over-explanation and lack of editing so atrocious that new words are made around it to justify its unforgivable length and stupidity.
The death of the author does not make this a work of art. The individual parts that would make this funny or prophetic-the singer president, the garbage-launcher to Canada, people dying from a giant cheeseburger held by the Statue of Liberty, the Stand-By-Me Quebec wheelchair cult, and a movie so good people shit themselves to death watching it-are all buried in overexplanation and an utterly miserable slog of Hal's dad's ghost, weird criticism of Alcoholics Anonymous as a concept, addiction, and suicide. All of these are done much better in other books, but forcing them all in one place and watching it unfold is like looking into a madman's brain and hearing others proclaim it as genius.
There is no interpreting this book as a whole. At most, people can cite parts of it, stripped from their context in order to show off what they imagine are the few nuggets of intelligence this book has to offer. I argue it never had to be written this way. This book is the literary equivalent of running a marathon or losing your virginity: after so much hype, it happens and you think "Well, now what." Nothing changes. You will not change as a person, unless you're insufferable and begin writing "w/r/t" in emails, and in such a case I don't think the book changed anything so much as exacerbated it.
There is a chance you might like this book, that everything I've said could be appealing to you. If what I said sounds funny, go for it! But for the love of God, if what you were sold on was "it's a very long book and few people read it lol" then there is no promised land, there is no elite members club, there is no self-improvement to be found.
This is where the series started to make a return.
Of the three followups to Lord Loss, which was an amazing opening, Demon Thief was the least offensive. Kernel Fleck as a protagonist speaks really well to the experience of depressed, isolated, and bullied characters that readers might find comfort in relating to. Meanwhile, Slawter appears to be a bizarre what-if scenario that was born of whatever hell making the Cirque du Freak movie was, and Bec was just exhausting when you just wanted to get on with Grubbs fighting with Lord Loss again.
Of the three followups to Lord Loss, which was an amazing opening, Demon Thief was the least offensive. Kernel Fleck as a protagonist speaks really well to the experience of depressed, isolated, and bullied characters that readers might find comfort in relating to. Meanwhile, Slawter appears to be a bizarre what-if scenario that was born of whatever hell making the Cirque du Freak movie was, and Bec was just exhausting when you just wanted to get on with Grubbs fighting with Lord Loss again.
This is a cynical product, designed to have readers fall in love with Dungeons and Dragons and get a session together, to try and have an adventure as good as this one.
And boy does it ever succeed.
We have a standard array of party members, with differing philosophies, coming together as an adventuring party to take down a tangible threat. There is a tricky halfling, a tamed barbarian, a gruff dwarf, and an aloof dark elf. They deal with a variety of prejudices, and work together to stop a mysterious crystal palace that has sprung up out of nowhere and threatens the lives of themselves and ungrateful townsfolk. It ends on a cliffhanger that leads into the next "campaign".
The book drags on a bit at times, as when it's not action, it's a lot of brooding angst on the dark elf's part at being completely ostracized. But the commentary never reaches a deeper level other than "boy, I sure am tired of being held accountable for all of drowkind when I've done nothing close to what they're accused of".
And boy does it ever succeed.
We have a standard array of party members, with differing philosophies, coming together as an adventuring party to take down a tangible threat. There is a tricky halfling, a tamed barbarian, a gruff dwarf, and an aloof dark elf. They deal with a variety of prejudices, and work together to stop a mysterious crystal palace that has sprung up out of nowhere and threatens the lives of themselves and ungrateful townsfolk. It ends on a cliffhanger that leads into the next "campaign".
The book drags on a bit at times, as when it's not action, it's a lot of brooding angst on the dark elf's part at being completely ostracized. But the commentary never reaches a deeper level other than "boy, I sure am tired of being held accountable for all of drowkind when I've done nothing close to what they're accused of".
More of that classic D&D adventuring that instills in the reader a desire to pull together their friends and have adventures just like this one. The previous book, The Crystal Shard, tends to "split the party" a bit more; this honestly is more of an authentic representation, where the characters will go dungeon delving and to taverns. It's a lot cozier, for a cynical product made to sell more D&D products--but that's the point, isn't it? The characters and their interactions are enjoyable, and the places they find are whimsical in a way that a reader would want to be there or further roleplay that they are there. At its worst, it is inspiration for writing a better campaign; at its best, it is a pleasant romp with likeable characters seeking their fortunes and helping their friend reclaim his homeland.
This review's only low because the series later would get much cooler. As it stands, its a good appetizer. This is honestly the hardest one to stomach just because it portrays child death a little too harrowingly realistically in order to backpedal and proclaim "just kidding, guys! It's all fun and vampires." Though as a kid it didn't really affect me, so maybe this is just the perspective you gain as an adult.
I wonder if the author was a fan of Vampire: The Masquerade growing up. The books the character has have plenty of stories about hell and monsters and demons, and I wonder if it's just the author gushing about those as he pens his tribute to the macabre things he enjoyed reading and engaging with.
I wonder if the author was a fan of Vampire: The Masquerade growing up. The books the character has have plenty of stories about hell and monsters and demons, and I wonder if it's just the author gushing about those as he pens his tribute to the macabre things he enjoyed reading and engaging with.
In hindsight, not the best one of the series. You just want Darren to embrace vampirism, even though his circumstances were more centered in protecting his friend, but we have to go through the whole boring denial phase throughout the entirety of the book. Thankfully, the side characters assuage any frustration in the meantime so it's not the worst read, it's just bad in relation to the rest of the series.
One of the best books in the series. It has romance, a menacing villain, and it has vampires. Honestly, as far as the series goes, starting here would probably be best. Strangely, it's a great Christmas book. I can't count all the times I've read and re-read this over the years.
One of the best books of my childhood. If you like stories about braving the elements and making camps but also like vampires in general, this is one of the best books to pick up. (I think it was in some way formative of me liking such stories.) This was the first in the series I'd picked up, but this is from a day and age where most events of previous books get quickly summed up in a few paragraphs so it was never a hindrance.
Really takes you through the individual trials that Darren has to face on the way to becoming a vampire. The book follows a very solid pace--training montage, trial, recovery, training montage, trial, recovery. (Then sequel hook, of course.) Very Hunger Games, before it ever existed. There's good character building in between all this, and everything just flows together naturally. Darren Shan really hits his stride with this one and for all the books moving forward, by finally not shying away from character death.