[book-info title=”Words of Radiance” author=”brandon-sanderson-2″] First of all my apologies about the incomplete Alienated review that went – briefly – live this morning. I have been so engrossed in Words of Radiance I didn’t get around to writing the Alienated review in time. It will be written after Words of Radiance. So, Words of Radiance. I am approximately 40% of the way through the 48-hour long audiobook version of Words of Radiance. Here are my initial thoughts on this first half. A full review will come later. There are some spoilers ahead so I’ll add a cut to be sure.
The biggest release for me this week is Brandon Sanderson’s Words of Radiance. This is the second in the Stormlight Archive, Sanderson’s proposed 10 book epic fantasy series. That was my biggest issue with The Way of Kings – Sanderson has planned it to be an epic tale right from the beginning so the large scope is readily apparent. I’ve much preferred tales which have “grown in the telling” as the saying goes. The Wheel of Time, for example, starts off focussed on our heroes from the Two Rivers and it’s not until later on in the series that we have epic battles and world changing consequences. That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy The Way of Kings, although in all fairness I used Tor.com’s excellent Way of Kings Reread and Where We Left Our Heroes article to catch up with it. I am enjoying Words of Radiance which I am listening to in audiobook format rather than reading. I do enjoy Kate Reading’s and Michael Kramer’s narration. However, this audiobook weighs in at a hefty 48 hours and 15 minutes. I don’t expect to read much else in the next couple of weeks, so please don’t expect many other…
The biggest release for me this week is Brandon Sanderson’s Words of Radiance. This is the second in the Stormlight Archive, Sanderson’s proposed 10 book epic fantasy series. That was my biggest issue with The Way of Kings – Sanderson has planned it to be an epic tale right from the beginning so the large scope is readily apparent. I’ve much preferred tales which have “grown in the telling” as the saying goes. The Wheel of Time, for example, starts off focussed on our heroes from the Two Rivers and it’s not until later on in the series that we have epic battles and world changing consequences. That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy The Way of Kings, although in all fairness I used Tor.com’s excellent Way of Kings Reread and Where We Left Our Heroes article to catch up with it. I am enjoying Words of Radiance which I am listening to in audiobook format rather than reading. I do enjoy Kate Reading’s and Michael Kramer’s narration. However, this audiobook weighs in at a hefty 48 hours and 15 minutes. I don’t expect to read much else in the next couple of weeks, so please don’t expect many other…
Through Netgalley I was offered an advanced reader’s copy of YA time travel novel The Here and Now by Ann Brashares. It tells the story of Prenna James, a time traveller and refugee in our time from a future in which global warming and plagues have left the world devastated. She and her community of fellow refugees must live by strict rules for their protection and that of those native to their adopted time. One of these includes refraining from an intimate relationship with a local. Naturally Prenna meets a boy… In general, I found The Here and Now to be a very fun, if light, read. The time travel refugee concept was interesting but so much more could have been done with it. The whole concept of time paradoxes (you know, the old chestnut, you can’t travel back in time and kill your own grandfather) was ignored and the issue of Prenna’s adaptation to the new society was glossed over. What I liked The concept. The idea of refugees escaping back in time from a devastated future was very interesting. The list of rules by which they must live is very interesting, too – I did struggle to understand…
Through Netgalley I was offered an advanced reader’s copy of YA time travel novel The Here and Now by Ann Brashares. It tells the story of Prenna James, a time traveller and refugee in our time from a future in which global warming and plagues have left the world devastated. She and her community of fellow refugees must live by strict rules for their protection and that of those native to their adopted time. One of these includes refraining from an intimate relationship with a local. Naturally Prenna meets a boy… In general, I found The Here and Now to be a very fun, if light, read. The time travel refugee concept was interesting but so much more could have been done with it. The whole concept of time paradoxes (you know, the old chestnut, you can’t travel back in time and kill your own grandfather) was ignored and the issue of Prenna’s adaptation to the new society was glossed over. What I liked The concept. The idea of refugees escaping back in time from a devastated future was very interesting. The list of rules by which they must live is very interesting, too – I did struggle to understand…
The Darkest Minds: Never Fade by Alexandra Bracken is the followup to The Darkest Minds. This series tells the story of Ruby, a young girl living in a world where most of the children have been killed by a virus but the survivors have been left with supernatural powers. Ruby is one such survivor with the power to control other people’s minds. The country has been left devastated by the loss of the children and fear of those who remain. Ruby and her friends are running from place to place trying to find safety. I adored both The Darkest Minds and the novella In Time so it was a little surprising that I was somewhat disappointed by Never Fade. It actually took me several attempts to sit down and read it. This is the second book in an expected trilogy, perhaps it was a little of middle book syndrome. This also appears to be at the lowest point of our protagonist’s arc, and as such I found it a little depressing. Ruby is dealing with a lot of guilt, doubt and self loathing in this book which makes it rather a dark read. I also missed the camaraderie between Ruby,…
The Darkest Minds: Never Fade by Alexandra Bracken is the followup to The Darkest Minds. This series tells the story of Ruby, a young girl living in a world where most of the children have been killed by a virus but the survivors have been left with supernatural powers. Ruby is one such survivor with the power to control other people’s minds. The country has been left devastated by the loss of the children and fear of those who remain. Ruby and her friends are running from place to place trying to find safety. I adored both The Darkest Minds and the novella In Time so it was a little surprising that I was somewhat disappointed by Never Fade. It actually took me several attempts to sit down and read it. This is the second book in an expected trilogy, perhaps it was a little of middle book syndrome. This also appears to be at the lowest point of our protagonist’s arc, and as such I found it a little depressing. Ruby is dealing with a lot of guilt, doubt and self loathing in this book which makes it rather a dark read. I also missed the camaraderie between Ruby,…
Bloodlines by Richelle Mead is the first in the Bloodlines series, the spinoff from Vampire Academy. It follows the story of young Alchemist Sydney Sage whom we met in the Vampire Academy series. In it, Sydney is tasked with protecting Jill Mastrano in Palm Springs and in order to do so attends an elite boarding school with her. We learn more about the Alchemists and also some secrets about Vampire Academy characters are revealed. To be honest, Bloodlines didn’t grab me nearly as much as Vampire Academy did. With VA we were introduced to interesting characters and they drew us into their fascinating world. While reading VA I had been interested to learn more about the Alchemists, but other than Sydney the Alchemists we meet in Bloodlines are very unsympathetic characters which killed any interest I had in learning about their organisation. What I liked Sydney. I did like Sydney in Bloodlines, and I feel her character has great scope for development. I would love to see her develop from a competent if anxious and insecure operative to the kick ass Alchemist we know she can be. I would also enjoy seeing her deal with the prejudices she’s carrying around…
Bloodlines by Richelle Mead is the first in the Bloodlines series, the spinoff from Vampire Academy. It follows the story of young Alchemist Sydney Sage whom we met in the Vampire Academy series. In it, Sydney is tasked with protecting Jill Mastrano in Palm Springs and in order to do so attends an elite boarding school with her. We learn more about the Alchemists and also some secrets about Vampire Academy characters are revealed. To be honest, Bloodlines didn’t grab me nearly as much as Vampire Academy did. With VA we were introduced to interesting characters and they drew us into their fascinating world. While reading VA I had been interested to learn more about the Alchemists, but other than Sydney the Alchemists we meet in Bloodlines are very unsympathetic characters which killed any interest I had in learning about their organisation. What I liked Sydney. I did like Sydney in Bloodlines, and I feel her character has great scope for development. I would love to see her develop from a competent if anxious and insecure operative to the kick ass Alchemist we know she can be. I would also enjoy seeing her deal with the prejudices she’s carrying around…
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern is whimsical tale of a magical competition by proxy between two conjurers which takes place through the medium of a fantastical circus which “opens at nightfall, closes at dawn.” The challenge is further complicated by the fact that the two chosen proxies fall in love. I read recently that the novel in its original form was little more than a series of vignettes with little in the way of plot or cohesion to pull them together. While in the published form it’s true that visual images are more important than plot, it still flows very well. I found that The Night Circus sneaked up on me. It didn’t immediately draw me in, but the more I read the more I fell in love with Morgenstern’s circus and the people who live and work in it. What I liked Visual imagery. One of the real treats of The Night Circus is the beautiful images conjured up by Morgenstern’s writing. Her descriptions of, say, the Ice Garden or the Cloud Maze are breathtakingly evocative and stunning. It really made me wish I could visit them in person. Larger than life but relatable characters. All of the…