Book Review/Rebuttal: Ishmael by Daniel Quinn

in , ,

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.

Read More

Book Review: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

in , ,

I wanted to love this book. I had high expectations because of my love for Sarah J. Maas’s Throne of Glass series but A Court of Thorns and Roses is very different. It is a more insulated story with a much simpler plot and less action. I wasn’t as invested in the characters who seemed like premade pieces in a predictable puzzle. It seems tailored for a female audience and centers around a romance that is more superficial than the romances in Throne of Glass. 

Read More

Book Review: The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson

in , , ,

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. 

Read More

Book Review: Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlman

in , , ,

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!

Read More

Book Review: Treasure Mountain by Louis L'Amour

in , , ,

To get closure about his last days Tell and Orrin start their journey in New Orleans but when Orrin goes missing Tell starts to piece together the clues to finding out where their father went and what might have happened. It turns out that the men who went up with their father back then are involved in Orrin’s disappearance. It’s up to Tell to free his brother before they both end up missing. 

Read More

Book/Series Review: Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas

in , , ,

I have enjoyed the entire series immensely and consider it one of the best fantasy stories I have ever read. The entire thing is well-paced, superbly written, wonderfully exciting, and suspenseful and the organization of the chapters, books, and series was masterfully orchestrated. I am very glad that this series was introduced to me by my friends and I am compelled to read more from Sarah J. Maas although I am afraid nothing will quite live up to the Throne of Glass series. I cried, I laughed but mostly I couldn’t stop reading. I highly recommend these books and I thought the finale was perfect. 

Read More