Book Review: A Game of Thrones by George RR Martin

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The point of this review is to convey my desire for you to read the book even if you have seen the show. If you don’t want to read the book then the Audible version is excellent. It is read by a man named Roy Dotrice and he does a great job of voicing the characters and makes the entire experience highly engaging. I ingest my books mostly via the paper form but listening to a book, when it is read well, can be an equally enthralling experience. I recommend A Game of Thrones to anyone who loves medieval drama and suspenseful intrigue.

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Book Review/Rebuttal: Ishmael by Daniel Quinn

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It's not that I don't recommend this book or that it doesn't offer a philosophical perspective that warrants review. It is worth reading but it fails to persuade as it offers only a simplified and narrow perspective of human behavior. It requires a wholesale acceptance of its premises and provides little in the way of relevant counterarguments. Ishmael by Daniel Quinn is written well and is narrated masterfully by Anthony Heald in the Audible version I listened to. When engaging with this book I recommend being aware of its rhetorical tactics and remaining skeptical of its biased perspective.

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Book Review: The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson

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The Way of Kings is an expansive fantasy tale written by Brandon Sanderson. It centers around a small of characters whose lives are inexorably connected by a fate unknown. Each character holds a key to unlocking the mysteries of the past and ushering in a new era for the world. A world that has been besot by war and unrest. A world that may not last much longer if the forces that led to its upheaval in the past are not discovered and resisted. 

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New Book Review YouTube Channel!

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I decided to start posting video book reviews on YouTube! The channel’s name is Fictional Fracas because I like alliteration and I’m clever. Use the links below to check it out and if you like it make sure to like and subscribe and share and love and comment and click stuff and tell people!

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Book Review: Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlman

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This beautifully grotesque accounting of an epic journey rivals those of The Odyssey and Lord of the Rings, with less fluff and more French words. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants a nightmare-inducing ride down an ecclesiastic rollercoaster. Super fun!

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Book Review: The Martian by Andy Weir

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This is the most masculine book ever! It has data, math, engineering, potatoes, problem-solving, and almost zero explicit emotional content. It is about a man who is stuck alone on Mars who never cries or gets depressed or laments about missing his family or friends back on Earth. He just works and solves problems with his superior intellect and indomitable spirit. 

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