This one is... just wow! I don't know how this could get any better. The Battle of the Labyrinth blows first three books out of the water."Holy cows?"
This one is... just wow! I don't know how this could get any better. The Battle of the Labyrinth blows first three books out of the water. Though I am yet to read the final one, I think it'll be harder to beat this one out of my-favorite-of-the-series spot. What an adventure.
"Yay! Blow-things-up time!"
Time for having laughs all over the place is over (at least for the most part) and penultimate book means serious business. Percy, Annabeth and the team embarks on the most thrilling adventure yet, immersing us in an eventful journey. Everything's well written as always, it's difficult to stop until one is finished reading. Events are building up nicely towards the Battle of Half-blood camp, while keeping the reader oblivious to the way how seemingly unrelated plot lines will come to unravel at the end.
"so many things. Large snake. Large dogs. Men with swords."
Oh! There are so many good things to tell about this one, but I can't wait till I get started with the next. Thank you Rick Riordan for this one, which made you one of my favorite writers.
"Don't judge someone until you've stood at his forge and worked with his hammer," ...more
"One could never have too much silver in the Forest."
That was dark, horrifying and messed up on many levels. I’ve never read a horror book before,"One could never have too much silver in the Forest."
That was dark, horrifying and messed up on many levels. I’ve never read a horror book before, so it is possible that this is me being a little dramatic, but I’m having a hard time getting rid of some of the mental images this book gave me.
I think this is also the first work of Sanderson to which I’m in no hurry to return to… Since this one appears to have no connection to any of the books I’ve read (I guess I could be wrong here, with SA still being on my TBR), this is also the first one I’m going to recommend the readers to try carefully, especially if you're not a fan of horror. All that being said, the magical system here was completely new and the main character was uniquely intriguing (and it goes without saying the that the world building was awesome as ever). Considering how good Sanderson always is with these things, at the end of the day, that alone should be enough for most fans to give this one a try.
I wanted to refresh my Python knowledge for a pet project, and instead of re-reading the Head First Python, I thought of trying something else. I now I wanted to refresh my Python knowledge for a pet project, and instead of re-reading the Head First Python, I thought of trying something else. I now know that I made the correct decision by opting to go with Matthes's Python Crash Course, for, this is much more organized than most other beginner books I've seen so far and quite fun to follow along. Also, at least at the time of this review, I think it is safe to say that between this and Head First Python, Python Crash Course is a clear winner. Recommended to any who needs to learn python from scratch!...more
"My body and mind were to prove temperamental accomplices in the mission of appreciating my destination."
That was NOT what I was expecting at all."My body and mind were to prove temperamental accomplices in the mission of appreciating my destination."
That was NOT what I was expecting at all.. Still had some fun reading several historical tidbits though. I guess I misunderstood the title. Review to come.
"What may be accomplished in a lifetime - and seldom never is."...more
"A mind not agitated by good questions cannot appreciate the significance of even the best answers."
Probably like the majority, I picked up this b"A mind not agitated by good questions cannot appreciate the significance of even the best answers."
Probably like the majority, I picked up this book because of the sheer curiosity the title sparkled in me when I first noticed it. I wasn't quite sure whether this was a book of academic nature, or solely aimed at professionals in education, but still couldn't keep myself away from giving a little try.
A short glance at the first chapter put my mind at ease, convincing me that most of the content is aimed at the average reader, not the specialist educator. That being said, the book is mainly concerned about reading expository work, or 'Reading for understanding' rather than 'Reading for information.' However, there's several chapters on reading non-expository as well, though not diving in too much detail.
The content is well structured, and takes the reader through four levels of reading (with each having many sub-levels). The latter two levels are somewhat complicated and a little too technical, but it is possible to select the parts which pique your interest. A good, an important read if you have the time and patience for it.
Following is an extract from a chapter on Reading Fiction . I know it's long, but couldn't resist sharing.
"The great majority of books that are read are stories of one kind or another. People who cannot read listen to stories.
We even make them up for ourselves. Fiction seems to be a necessity for human beings. Why is this?
One reason why fiction is a human necessity is that it satisfies many unconscious as well as conscious needs. It would be important if it only touched the conscious mind, as expository writing does. But fiction is important, too, because it also touches the unconscious.
On the simplest level-and a discussion of this subject could be very complex-we like or dislike certain kinds of people more than others, without always being sure why. If, in a novel, such people are rewarded or punished, we may have stronger feelings, either pro or con, about the book than it merits artistically.
For example, we are often pleased when a character in a novel inherits money, or otherwise comes into good fortune.
However, this tends to be true only if the character is "sympathetic"-meaning that we can identify with him or her. We do not admit to ourselves that we would like to inherit money, we merely say that we like the book.
Perhaps we would like all to love more richly than we do.
Many novels are about love - most are, perhaps - and it gives us pleasure to identify with the loving characters. They are free, and we are not. But we may not want to admit this; for to do so might make us feel, consciously, that our own loves are inadequate.
Again, almost everyone has some unconscious sadism and masochism in his makeup. These are often satisfied in novels, where we can identify with either the conqueror or victim, or even with both. In each case, we are prone to say simply that we like "that kind of book" - without specifying or really knowing why.
Finally, we suspect that life as we know it is unjust. Why do good people suffer, and bad ones prosper? We do not know, we cannot know, but the fact causes great anxiety in everyone.
In stories, this chaotic and unpleasant situation is adjusted, and that is extremely satisfying to us.
In stories - in novels and narrative poems and plays - justice usually does exist. People get what they deserve; the author, who is like a god to his characters, sees to it that they are rewarded or punished according to their true merit. In a good story, in a satisfying one, this is usually so, at least. One of the most irritating things about a bad story is that the people in it seem to be punished or rewarded with no rhyme or reason. The great storyteller makes no mistakes. He is able to convince us that justice - poetic justice, we call it - has been done.
This is true even of high tragedy. There, terrible things happen to good men, but we see that the hero, even if he does nt wholly deserve his fat, at least comes to understand it.
And we have a profound desire to share his understanding. If we only knew - then we could withstand whatever the world has in store for us. "I Want to Know Why" is the title of a story by Sherwood Anderson. It could be the title of many stories. The tragic hero does learn why, though often, of course, only after the ruin of his life. We can share his insight without sharing his suffering.
Thus, in criticizing fiction we must be careful to distinguish those books that satisfy our own particular unconscious needs - the ones that make us say, "I like this book, although I don't really know why" - from those that satisfy the deep unconscious needs of almost everybody. The latter are undoubtedly the great stories, the ones that live on and on for generations and centuries. As long as man is man, they will go on satisfying him, giving him something that he needs to have - a belief in justice and understanding and the allaying of anxiety. We do not know, we cannot be sure, that the real world is good. But the world of a great story is somehow good.
We want to live there as often and as long as we can."...more
"This is the tale of Blatant Barm, the Unwashed Bandit. Baddest, meanest, stinkiest bandit."
How do I ma
It’s a good day to get punched.
"This is the tale of Blatant Barm, the Unwashed Bandit. Baddest, meanest, stinkiest bandit."
How do I make a spoiler-free review of this while holding back everything I feel right now? It would be a daunting task for every reader of The Lost Metal, especially if you’d fallen in love with these amazing characters…
"Wait. Who is Trell and who is Autonomy and who is that on the steps?"
The 5-star rating says a lot but it doesn’t say it all. For one thing, though I gave both five stars, The Lost Metal easily replaced The Bands of Mourning as the best entry of Era 2, and possibly the best of the entire Mistborn series. While Hero of the Ages had a more complex and thrilling plot, I had come to love the characters of the new era a lot more. They all shared a perfect combination of habitability, believability and complexity.
”I’m a bastion of useful information, I am.”
Just to make the review complete, I’ll repeat this line once more, but without much elaboration to keep the review concise: this is world building, character development, magical systems, mystery and adventure at their best, while also nicely complemented by humor and suspense. Once you’ve read The Lost Metal, it would not be surprising to find most other books lacking in at least one of these elements.
Kim: "What do you add to the team?" Wayne: ”Comic relief. Maybe a little whimsy. Improvisation. Vision.” Kim: ”You have a broad imagination, then?” Wayne: ”There are broads in my imagination almost all the time.”
It may have not been that clear going from one entry to the next, but looking all the way back at The Final Empire, Sanderson’s character development has come a long way. True, it was amazing even at that first Mistborn book, but he kept outdoing himself with each book, setting new standards for what is accepted as perfect.
”It’s hard to know what you want. We never have all the information. We merely have to do what we can with what we have.”
Making an ending realistic always comes with the conundrum of dishing out a balanced amount of happiness and disappointment. Though I wanted to say I hated the way few things ended, it would not have left such a profound impact had it been handled differently. I’ll stop at saying that the author gave us a beautiful ending.
”It was hard to tell with Wayne. At times he seemed deeply insightful. He inevitably ruined that. ”
As I mentioned before, this was a tough review to write… It was a shocking ending, which took me quite a bit of time to recover and get my thoughts in order. So, I’m keeping this review as a work in progress, and hoping to give it a much better revision during a future re-read.
"You are whatever you want to be, Wayne. You’re the wind. You’re the stars. You are all endless things."
And so ends what had been a remarkable Era 2… It is obviously heartbreaking, having to say goodbye to all these wonderful characters, but the prospect of anticipating an even better era 3 makes up for it, at least a little.
Farewell, my friend. You incredible rusting man. Thank you.
With that, he stretched into another palace, into another time. He stretched into the wind. And also into the stars. And all endless things.
"I am Hualinam’lunanaki’akilu, the daughter of Numuhukumakiaki’aialunamor, the Fal’ala’liki’nor."
Dawnshard easily made it my favorite spot out of "I am Hualinam’lunanaki’akilu, the daughter of Numuhukumakiaki’aialunamor, the Fal’ala’liki’nor."
Dawnshard easily made it my favorite spot out of all Cosmere short-stories so far. I’ve been curious as to how Rysn might fit into things after the early interludes, and was a little disappointed by that small (but still impactful) appearance in Oathbringer towards the end. But the author has redeemed himself by allocating an entire (short) story for her.
I’m breaking my 3-star novella ratings for this one as well, for, at nearly 200 pages, Dawnshard is not really a little prelude to the next book nor a minor short story with some interesting tidbits. With the addition of Lopen and Rushu (and Chiri-Chiri) to the mix, we have an eventful and entertaining voyage here to a previously unexplored territory.
”The Dawnshards. The four primal Commands that created all things. And then eventually they were used to undo Adonalsium itself…”
Unlike many other novellas, this one is NOT optional.. Not just in terms of Stormlight Archive completion, but this one shares several secrets behind the entire Cosmere, which I think might come in handy with other series. Make sure you are finished with this before the 4th SA entry.
Lopen: “Cousin, do you know why it is that people stick you to the wall so often?” Huio: “To judge the relative strength of Radiants by oath level, measuring the duration of Lashings against the Stormlight expended.” Lopen: “It’s because you’re no fun” Huio: “Nah. I decided to let it be fun. You get an entirely new perspective on life when hanging from the wall.”
Lift’s interlude from the Words of Radiance was one of my favourites: it’s not solely based on the hilarious nature "LIFT prepared to be awesome."
Lift’s interlude from the Words of Radiance was one of my favourites: it’s not solely based on the hilarious nature of that chapter but also the heavy contrast it held to the rest of that book. We had all serious characters either trying to prevent disaster or cause it, and then out of nowhere, Sanderson just threw in a completely mischievous person with some curious abilities.. And as always, things always turnout perfectly for Sanderson.
The author might have labelled this as a ‘novella’ (and in fact, it could be considered as such considering that the average book length of SA is 1250 pages+), but this is quite long. From the looks of it, Lift is about to take part in the main storyline, and Sanderson has taken his time with Edgedancer to help shape the character to a solid one. And now I can’t wait to see how she’ll fit into the grand scheme of things.
Unlike some of the novellas from Cosmere, Edgedancer is not optional: there are a series of important things happening here, of which the reader must be aware of in advance... It is also possible that I could be completely wrong.
Once more, I’m forced to go back on my own rule to keep the novella ratings between 1-3. This was unbelievably g"There have been female trappers…"
Once more, I’m forced to go back on my own rule to keep the novella ratings between 1-3. This was unbelievably good!
Sixth of Dusk introduces an entirely new magical system, which makes me wish for a complete book (or a series) on its own, given how great, imaginative, and intriguing Sanderson’s teasing here is. Just when I was beginning to wonder whether or not I should try any more novellas for the time being, (after the Shadows of Silence fiasco), this one strongly confirmed that doing so would be a huge mistake. Another must-read novella from Cosmere, and I can’t wait to see how this would come into play in a major entry.
"These lands of adventure and danger are my natural habitat, and I thrive upon the challenge they provide."
Another interesting side story, but I s"These lands of adventure and danger are my natural habitat, and I thrive upon the challenge they provide."
Another interesting side story, but I still don't understand how this fits in to the bigger picture. The first person narrative was also unexpected. Not a 'major' novella and (so far) it feels like one wouldn't miss anything related to plot by skipping this one, unless of course the events here do play a role in future Misborn books....more
Another short and neat novella by Sanderson to help explain a couple of thing went unsaid with Elantris. There's also some hints on how things progresAnother short and neat novella by Sanderson to help explain a couple of thing went unsaid with Elantris. There's also some hints on how things progressed after the original story, so might be a good idea to try this as soon as you're done with Elantris....more
THIS is what you get when the author is not just skilled, imaginative, fun, socially cognizant and logical but a also perfectionist when it comes to kTHIS is what you get when the author is not just skilled, imaginative, fun, socially cognizant and logical but a also perfectionist when it comes to keeping things organized: unlike every other series out there, Sanderson has gone that extra step to compile a thoughtful, systematic, and a very thorough collection of novellas to fill every nook and cranny between all major installments.
However, calling this a compilation of ‘novellas’ is not actually accurate, for, there are more than a few of those here which could be considered to be complete books by most readers’ standards, including Emperor’s Soul and Sixth of Dusk.
One of the unexpected benefits of Arcanum Unbounded was, at least for me, the clarity this brought to the overall arrangement of Cosmere. When we get in too deep with a single series, we tend to lose track of where we are and what else is there in the present system. Since this collection is categorized by different star systems, it gives us constant reminders as to what else is out there and what to expect in future.
Considering the non-trivial nature of most of the contents here, I strongly recommend any who are looking forward to getting into Cosmere to grab a copy of this in advance. You’ll save yourself a lot of confusion down the line, ...more
Another novella that didn't really feel like a novella, but a whole new story! I'm surprised that "The end was not the end. Kelsier smiled again."
Another novella that didn't really feel like a novella, but a whole new story! I'm surprised that Sanderson didn't try and save all this for a book later on.
It turns out that Secret History is the entry I've been looking for since I began reading Mistborn. Obviously a lot went unsaid by the end of Era 1 trilogy, and I had assumed back then that they'll be revealed in Era 2. However, with Wax and Wayne's adventure belonging in a different timeline, and Eleventh Metal novella also being a very short entry, Secret History was to be the next logical choice... which finally delivered some of the answers I was looking for. But what was more surprising to me was how much on Cosmere has been revealed here. You get a detailed backstory on how the shards came in to play, and what else is going around in other planets, plus a deep dive in to the realm theory!
"Once you step behind the curtain and see the actors as the people they are, it becomes harder to pretend the play is real."
This is the first novella from Cosmere I'm going to recommend that the readers MUST read. Sure, most of the novella's were fun, but Secret History fills some major gaps, and appears to be important for future entries.
"Reality isn't particularly healthy for a man's ego."...more
I'm not sure how one is really supposed to rate a Novella, especially when it's this short and though of using 3-stars as a way to indicate it is okayI'm not sure how one is really supposed to rate a Novella, especially when it's this short and though of using 3-stars as a way to indicate it is okay, and does what it suppose to do. However, I will do a complete review of Arcanum Unbounded later on.
The Eleventh Metal is a very minor chapter from Kelsier's training period as a new Mistborn. Definitely not something that is compulsory to be read along with Mistborn, and even though this is #0.5 of mistborn, it is best read after Era 1 trilogy. Getting to meet Kelsier in The Final Empire was much better....more
"Travel broadens the mind they say. It also clears it."
Thought of going in a different direction before beginning my year-ending fantasy streak an"Travel broadens the mind they say. It also clears it."
Thought of going in a different direction before beginning my year-ending fantasy streak and Mahoney's Down the Nile was where it took me. This was my very first Travel-documentary type and I'm happy to say this has been a very nice change in pace, scenery and everything.
The title actually explains quite well what the entire book is about, at least the adventure bits, but there were a lot of information that I was not expecting to have found here. Author focuses heavily on the socio-economic aspects of the Egyptian community covering some of the major aspects of the average individual. There is also a lot of citations from the experiences of previous adventurers to paint a thorough picture while emphasizing the differences occurred over time. To be honest, I think this could be the reason for this book's s-star average rating. There's is a bit too much Florence Nightingale and Gustave Flaubert quotes. But for me personally, who is not at all familiar with any of the written work of above two, it made the book more informative.
A nice, light read (for the reader that is, definitely not to the author) to take your mind through a relaxing (relatively speaking) journey Down the Nile.
"Across the span of a hundred and fifty years, only one thing has truly remained the same: moonlight still makes the Egyptian sand look like snow." ...more
"Few people are willing to hear the truth when it shows up their own weaknesses."
Hill's Think and Grow Rich is one of my favorite self-development"Few people are willing to hear the truth when it shows up their own weaknesses."
Hill's Think and Grow Rich is one of my favorite self-development books, and I had purchased The Law of Success immediately after reading it. However, with an impossible 1000+ pages length (especially for a self-help book), it had always kept me away from starting the book. It took me more than five months to make it to the end!
The book is actually much similar to Think and Grow Rich, presenting the same ideas, but through much much more elaboration. The author never lets the repetition bother him, and in fact quite adamant in repeating the same lesson many times until the point is properly driven home. This is something I used to love about Think and Grow Rich, but here it somewhat lessened my motivation to continue the book at a steady pace.
Still, compared to many self-development books nowadays, it is refreshing to books from Hill, Carnegie, Covey and the likes. When you read a book from one of these authors, you can feel the enthusiasm behind their words, and depth they dive into even with small principles to help the reader gain most out the book.
"Nearly all forms of lower animals have instinct but appear not to have the power to reason and think; therefore, they prey upon one another physically. Man, with his superior sense of intuition, thought and reason, does no eat his fellow men bodily; he gets more satisfaction out of eating them FINANCIALLY!"...more
"I draw the line at wearing a white suit for an evening event."
This is the first book from Cassandra Clare that I did not regret reading. I know i"I draw the line at wearing a white suit for an evening event."
This is the first book from Cassandra Clare that I did not regret reading. I know it's still 3-stars, but it's 3.5-stars rounded to three, unlike the first six which were 2.5 stars rounded up!
To me, it feels like she's trying too much with Clary and Will in the MI books, making them not the most entertaining to cope with. But here, the actual storytelling gets to a better level.
I did skip over all the romance bits though, as Clare did not impress me with her use of romance in the first three MI books nor with ID trilogy....more
"Et quacumque viam dedent fortuna sequeamur" (Therever fortune clears a way, Thither our ready footsteps stray)
If Jules Verne is known for one thin "Et quacumque viam dedent fortuna sequeamur" (Therever fortune clears a way, Thither our ready footsteps stray)
If Jules Verne is known for one thing, that is for being exceptionally thorough. When I read Mysterious Island sometime back, the sheer amount of scientific data were shocking. It was like a 'Complete Survival Guide' for any and all situations. This time around, it is time for the beginner's guide to all things geology.
"Science, my lad, has ben built upon many errors; but they are errors that it was good to fall into, for they led to the truth."
The story revolves around a trip to the center of earth (obviously...) proposed and planned by a scientist (and his reluctant nephew), using a historical document they had come across as a guide. To be honest, at least when I first started the book, I was only interested about the way how the author might start the journey inwards, especially considering this was written a long time ago. Books like these have the potential drawback of sounding dated when it comes to scientific explanations and such. But as it turns out, he had figured out an ingenious way not only to get the journey started, but to keep the reader entertained throughout the journey using many adventure elements. I was completely immersed during the entire adventure.
"A man shut up between four walls soon loses the power to associate words and ideas together."
However, this book considerably deviated from Mysterious Island in one major way, namely the ending. For some reason, it felt like the author had rushed the ending somewhere after the mid point of the book. Had it all been fast-paced, it might've been okay, but considering how detailed oriented and slow the pace was in first part of the journey, the ending didn't feel harmonious with the rest. Nevertheless, I'm glad it was a happy ending.
"Books, instead of growing moldy behind an iron grating, should be worn out under the eyes of many readers."
"Such is the conclusion of a history that I cannot expect everybody to believe, for some people will believe nothing against the testimony of their own experience. However, I am indifferent to their incredulity, and they may believe as much or as little as they please." ...more
Nevermoor keeps surprising me. First book was "I come bearing cake."
"GREATEST ECOLOGICAL COMEBACK OF ALL TIME"
"I've been asleep for two days."
Nevermoor keeps surprising me. First book was awesome, second was good, but this felt better than both of them. To avoid a lengthy and repetitive review, I'm just going to link the first two reviews here, where everything good about this series is outlined:
It turns out Townsend still wasn't completely done with laying the foundation for the series, even by the end of book two, where Morrigan properly become a member of Wunsoc. I had somewhat forgotten about the sub-level nine, and it looks like the final part of this complete introduction is here in book three (at least it looks that way). But this time, (main) half of the story is actually about the first 'mission' Morrigan has to go through. It was full of humor as always, and opened up a number of sub-plots along which the author could expand in later books.
This has been a fun read, and it looks like this series is going to end up as an all-time-favorite for me. Looking forward to get my hands on book four the moment it gets released.
Loading...
