Originally meant to be a trilogy, The Second Apocalypse is now looking to be a trilogy of trilogies. Written by R. Scott Bakker, The Second Apocalypse - and the first of its three trilogies, The Prince of Nothing - can best be described as the world's greatest Nietzschean fantasy work.
Before you all turn around and run away, let me explain. Nietzsche was a famous German philosopher. So famous, in fact, that I probably did not need to say that. In many of his works he references the idea of the ubermensch, translating literally to 'over-man.' An over-man is greater than normal men. So superlative is his ability to overcome obstacles - including other people - that he is not only allowed but compelled to overcome every obstacle he encounters when moving towards his goals.
(If you have yet to read Thus Sprach Zarathustra, you should do so, by the by.)
In many ways, The Prince of Nothing can be viewed as a comparison of - and set of clashes between - several different over-men, each with his own distinct type. Ikurei Conphas, the incredibly gifted, paranoid, and narcisistic military commander; Cnaiur, the savage Scylvendi, with his immense strength and intuition; Achamian - and, to a lesser degree, the other sorcerers in the series - who can change the world simply by speaking; and Kellhus, a member of a secret order of monks, the Dunyain, who have spent two thousand years training - and breeding their membership - to become 'that which comes before.'
The story itself follows the Holy War to Shimeh - a rough historical analogue being the Crusades that targeted Jerusalem. Each of the over-men has his own reason - Achamian, to spy for his order of sorcerers, the Mandate, who fear the coming of the second apocalypse; Conphas, to elevate himself and expand the holdings of the Empire; Kellhus, to bend the Holy War to his will and use it to transport himself safely to Shimeh, there to meet his father; and Cnaiur - tool of Kellhus' father as a child, member of the Scylvendi, defeated early in the series by Conphas - who follows Kellhus to the war, and stays to spite both him and Conphas.
The first book in the trilogy, The Darkness That Comes Before, follows all of the main characters to the Holy War itself, and the remaining two describe its trek to Shimeh, and the transformation that occurs as a result of the clashes between the over-men that are present.
Hopefully I've somewhat convinced you that a philosophy book disguised as a fantasy book wouldn't be terrible to read. I will admit it can get dense at times, but The Prince of Nothing is among my favorite series, and if you have ever enjoyed reading philosophy - and enjoy fantasy, as well - you should really consider picking up the first book.
Showing posts with label Book Review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Book Review. Show all posts
Monday, January 14, 2013
Monday, January 7, 2013
Book Review: Devices and Desires
First off, an apology for having taken such a long break. I've been out of my normal habitation space for quite some time, and they only just now tracked me down and managed to drag me back.
As such, the future bodes well. I should be back to five a week, although I'm thinking Wednesday will be changed to something other than food, unless people actually wish it to stay that way.
Anyways. On to the book review...
Devices and Desires is the first book in The Engineer Trilogy, K.J. Parker. The other two books, Evil for Evil and The Escapement, have already been published, in my opinion a huge plus when beginning to read any series.
On an interesting note, no one knows the true identity of K.J. Parker. The name itself is a pseudonym. Not even Parker's gender is definitively known.
Devices and Desires follows, in large part, the story of Ziani Vaatzes, a leading engineer in the incredibly conservative guild system of Mezentia. When he makes a few minor improvements to the supposedly perfect specifications of guild design, he is sentenced to death. Escaping the sent, he goes on to manipulate Mezentia's many enemies in an attempt to reunite with his family.
The world in which the book is set is, in large part, a typical feudal European setting. What makes it fantastical is the steampunk devices - especially weapons - created by the Eternal Republic in Mezentia. Think of the insertion of steampunk into the world much as magic was inserted in the first two books of A Song of Ice and Fire - it's there, and it helps the story along every once in a while, but largely it doesn't do a whole lot.
Writing style and plot development in the book can be favorably compared to Steven Erikson's Malazan Book of the Fallen. Similar in many ways, both are series that focus largely on conflict and have many tragic moments, well-written action, and frequent humor in downtime sequences.
The major difference between Parker and Erikson is that Parker's plots and world are much more accessible. While I would highly advise rereading the book after finishing it, Devices and Desires does not have they incredibly large and diverse array of characters or, in many cases, too-complex-to-read plots of Steven Erikson.
In short, then, if you're looking for a simpler version of Malazan Book of the Fallen - by far my favorite fantasy series - with steampunk elements instead of magic, this is the series for you. It's well-written, much easier to get through, and still contains all of the really good bits that made Erikson's books so excellent.
As such, the future bodes well. I should be back to five a week, although I'm thinking Wednesday will be changed to something other than food, unless people actually wish it to stay that way.
Anyways. On to the book review...
Devices and Desires is the first book in The Engineer Trilogy, K.J. Parker. The other two books, Evil for Evil and The Escapement, have already been published, in my opinion a huge plus when beginning to read any series.
On an interesting note, no one knows the true identity of K.J. Parker. The name itself is a pseudonym. Not even Parker's gender is definitively known.
Devices and Desires follows, in large part, the story of Ziani Vaatzes, a leading engineer in the incredibly conservative guild system of Mezentia. When he makes a few minor improvements to the supposedly perfect specifications of guild design, he is sentenced to death. Escaping the sent, he goes on to manipulate Mezentia's many enemies in an attempt to reunite with his family.
The world in which the book is set is, in large part, a typical feudal European setting. What makes it fantastical is the steampunk devices - especially weapons - created by the Eternal Republic in Mezentia. Think of the insertion of steampunk into the world much as magic was inserted in the first two books of A Song of Ice and Fire - it's there, and it helps the story along every once in a while, but largely it doesn't do a whole lot.
Writing style and plot development in the book can be favorably compared to Steven Erikson's Malazan Book of the Fallen. Similar in many ways, both are series that focus largely on conflict and have many tragic moments, well-written action, and frequent humor in downtime sequences.
The major difference between Parker and Erikson is that Parker's plots and world are much more accessible. While I would highly advise rereading the book after finishing it, Devices and Desires does not have they incredibly large and diverse array of characters or, in many cases, too-complex-to-read plots of Steven Erikson.
In short, then, if you're looking for a simpler version of Malazan Book of the Fallen - by far my favorite fantasy series - with steampunk elements instead of magic, this is the series for you. It's well-written, much easier to get through, and still contains all of the really good bits that made Erikson's books so excellent.
Monday, December 17, 2012
Book Review: Thief of Time
So, I definitely flaked out on writing what I meant to write on Friday. This week, though, will be full of blog posts. Promise, guys.
Anyways...
Thief of Time, by Terry Pratchett, is one of my favorite books - the others being, in no particular order, Memories of Ice, by Steven Erikson, Ender's Shadow, by Orson Scott Card, Good Omens, also by Terry Pratchett, but also Neil Gaiman, and Anna Karenina, by Leo Tolstoy.
What do these books have in common? Well, they're all awesome, but, beyond that, the answer is nothing.
Back to Thief of Time. While technically part of a series, the book can be read by itself without losing out on much of anything. I will, however, highly recommend the rest of the Discworld series if you enjoy Thief of Time, as they are all somewhat similar in humor and whatnot.
In Thief of Time, a group of creatures known as Auditors - eternal entities with no self designed to make sure the universe runs as intended - attempt to stop the flow of time to prevent the sentient beings of Discworld from mucking everything up so much with qualitative stuff. There are also time monks and Death - who speaks IN ALL CAPS - and a lot of other interesting and/or uninteresting things.
You might think this sounds serious and/or complicated, but it's neither. As per Terry Pratchett's usual style, the book's a little absurd, very funny, and well written in pretty much every way. There are also puns.* All of the puns. Did I mention I like puns?
The book is also easy to read, brings up some interesting ideas in a humorous fashion, and, as with all Terry Pratchett books, can be likened to the more well-known Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy series, but for fantasy.
So, in short, Thief of Time is short, awesome, very punny, easy to read, thought-provoking, and well-written. Assuming you care at all for fantasy and/or satire, you should read this. Also, everything else Terry Pratchett has ever written.
* - Correctly pronounced pune.
Anyways...
Thief of Time, by Terry Pratchett, is one of my favorite books - the others being, in no particular order, Memories of Ice, by Steven Erikson, Ender's Shadow, by Orson Scott Card, Good Omens, also by Terry Pratchett, but also Neil Gaiman, and Anna Karenina, by Leo Tolstoy.
What do these books have in common? Well, they're all awesome, but, beyond that, the answer is nothing.
Back to Thief of Time. While technically part of a series, the book can be read by itself without losing out on much of anything. I will, however, highly recommend the rest of the Discworld series if you enjoy Thief of Time, as they are all somewhat similar in humor and whatnot.
In Thief of Time, a group of creatures known as Auditors - eternal entities with no self designed to make sure the universe runs as intended - attempt to stop the flow of time to prevent the sentient beings of Discworld from mucking everything up so much with qualitative stuff. There are also time monks and Death - who speaks IN ALL CAPS - and a lot of other interesting and/or uninteresting things.
You might think this sounds serious and/or complicated, but it's neither. As per Terry Pratchett's usual style, the book's a little absurd, very funny, and well written in pretty much every way. There are also puns.* All of the puns. Did I mention I like puns?
The book is also easy to read, brings up some interesting ideas in a humorous fashion, and, as with all Terry Pratchett books, can be likened to the more well-known Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy series, but for fantasy.
So, in short, Thief of Time is short, awesome, very punny, easy to read, thought-provoking, and well-written. Assuming you care at all for fantasy and/or satire, you should read this. Also, everything else Terry Pratchett has ever written.
* - Correctly pronounced pune.
Monday, December 3, 2012
Book Review: Artemis Fowl
This week's book review is, yet again, on a series of books. And, yet again, the series of books could largely be fit into the fantasy genre. Anyone see a pattern here as to what sorts of books I like?
On the other hand, this series, Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer, is intended mostly for younger readers. This doesn't mean it is bad, or that the writing or plot is immature, simply that the books themselves are much simpler and easier to read then many of the other books I've reviewed so far.
This is both a good thing and a bad thing. It makes the books very easy to read, and they tend to be very enjoyable in the plot department. They can also be read quickly - the eight books in the series never top 300 pages.
Anyways. My advice on reading the series is very simple - you must either read only the first book, or the entire series.
Reading just the first book is for those of you who just want to read a quick, fun, and exciting book that's very simple and straightforward. The plot and premise are both very interesting, and the action, when it happens, is, again, both interesting and well-written.
After that, the other books are largely repeats in terms of quality. To continue reading you need to commit to the rest of the series for two reasons - iterative character development is the keystone of later stories, and the series builds off of itself for additional humor.
By the end of the series, almost all of the humor is inside jokes and the entirety of the plot in the last book centers around the character development - or lack of development - of almost every major character from the rest of the books.
So, yeah, in short, the series is good, the first book is also good, and you should read them, assuming you're all right with the being very simple and straightforward - at least, in comparison to the sorts of things I usually review.
Suggestions, comments, and whatnot can be put down below in the comments section. Hope you enjoyed reading.
On the other hand, this series, Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer, is intended mostly for younger readers. This doesn't mean it is bad, or that the writing or plot is immature, simply that the books themselves are much simpler and easier to read then many of the other books I've reviewed so far.
This is both a good thing and a bad thing. It makes the books very easy to read, and they tend to be very enjoyable in the plot department. They can also be read quickly - the eight books in the series never top 300 pages.
Anyways. My advice on reading the series is very simple - you must either read only the first book, or the entire series.
Reading just the first book is for those of you who just want to read a quick, fun, and exciting book that's very simple and straightforward. The plot and premise are both very interesting, and the action, when it happens, is, again, both interesting and well-written.
After that, the other books are largely repeats in terms of quality. To continue reading you need to commit to the rest of the series for two reasons - iterative character development is the keystone of later stories, and the series builds off of itself for additional humor.
By the end of the series, almost all of the humor is inside jokes and the entirety of the plot in the last book centers around the character development - or lack of development - of almost every major character from the rest of the books.
So, yeah, in short, the series is good, the first book is also good, and you should read them, assuming you're all right with the being very simple and straightforward - at least, in comparison to the sorts of things I usually review.
Suggestions, comments, and whatnot can be put down below in the comments section. Hope you enjoyed reading.
Monday, November 19, 2012
Book Review: A Song of Ice and Fire
This week's book review is on George R. R. Martin's series, A Song of Ice and Fire.
I will, first off, admit that I have not read all of the most recent book in the series - it is my opinion that the third book is the last palatable one, with the fourth and fifth both being unreadable in comparison to the rest of the series, which, by the way, is excellent.
A Song of Ice and Fire is set in a fantasy realm by the name of Westeros. The nation is ruled by a king, a Baratheon by the name of Robert. The Baratheons are one of seven great noble houses that make up the majority of the actual power in Westeros.
The plot itself involves the death of Robert and the ensuing conflict over who gains control of the throne, or even if Westeros will remain a single kingdom, rather than breaking apart into several different nations.
Beyond this, virtually any other discussion of the plot will probably reveal an important spoiler of one kind or another - the plot is really that intertwined, complicated, and full of intrigue.
The writing itself is excellent, if somewhat too gritty for some people. There is a great deal of graphic sex and violence in the series, as well as plenty of good humor and many very realistic reactions by equally realistic characters.
This, at least, holds true for the first three books. After that point, the previously interesting and intriguing plot becomes mostly dull, with a great deal of things that seem incredibly unrealistic. Before the third, fourth, and fifth books, magic was largely a fringe element of the story, but during those books magic takes a more prominent role, which largely detracts from the story, rather than adding to it.
Perhaps more importantly, it is my opinion that the quality of the writing is much worse towards the end of the third book, and that this poor quality continues on into the fourth and fifth books.
Regardless. If you like well-written fantasy and don't mind quite a lot of graphic realism and intrigue, I'd advise you read through the first three books of A Song of Ice and Fire. They really are quite good, if a little lengthy.
I will, first off, admit that I have not read all of the most recent book in the series - it is my opinion that the third book is the last palatable one, with the fourth and fifth both being unreadable in comparison to the rest of the series, which, by the way, is excellent.
A Song of Ice and Fire is set in a fantasy realm by the name of Westeros. The nation is ruled by a king, a Baratheon by the name of Robert. The Baratheons are one of seven great noble houses that make up the majority of the actual power in Westeros.
The plot itself involves the death of Robert and the ensuing conflict over who gains control of the throne, or even if Westeros will remain a single kingdom, rather than breaking apart into several different nations.
Beyond this, virtually any other discussion of the plot will probably reveal an important spoiler of one kind or another - the plot is really that intertwined, complicated, and full of intrigue.
The writing itself is excellent, if somewhat too gritty for some people. There is a great deal of graphic sex and violence in the series, as well as plenty of good humor and many very realistic reactions by equally realistic characters.
This, at least, holds true for the first three books. After that point, the previously interesting and intriguing plot becomes mostly dull, with a great deal of things that seem incredibly unrealistic. Before the third, fourth, and fifth books, magic was largely a fringe element of the story, but during those books magic takes a more prominent role, which largely detracts from the story, rather than adding to it.
Perhaps more importantly, it is my opinion that the quality of the writing is much worse towards the end of the third book, and that this poor quality continues on into the fourth and fifth books.
Regardless. If you like well-written fantasy and don't mind quite a lot of graphic realism and intrigue, I'd advise you read through the first three books of A Song of Ice and Fire. They really are quite good, if a little lengthy.
Monday, November 12, 2012
Book Review: The Lies of Locke Lamora
The Lies of Locke Lamora is a fantasy book written by Scott Lynch, an author known largely because of this book and Red Seas Under Red Skies, which together form the beginning of a projected seven book series entitled The Gentlemen Bastards.
Lock Lamora is the protagonist of both the book and the overall series. He is a con artist and burglar, and leads a team of similar folk called, as per the name of the series, The Gentlemen Bastards.
The Lies of Locke Lamora is a book composed of two parts, with the two parts alternating chapters. The first part describes the history of Locke Lamora, other members of The Gentlemen Bastards (especially Jean, Locke's closest friend), and the city of Camorr, heavily based on the real city of Venice.
Locke's past describes him as an orphan, taken in by a blind thief and taught to secretly break the one code that all thieves in Camorr hold to - the Secret Peace, an arrangement by which thieves are tolerated only so long as they leave the noble class of Camorr alone. Locke is a natural talent when it comes to deception and burglary, and quickly finds a home in the man's group.
The second part of the book focuses on the present, and is the portion in which the main plot of the book takes part. In this portion of the book, The Gentlemen Bastards are planning and executing something that will make them all rich - a confidence scam involving Don Lorenzo Salvara, a rich noble.
While the scam moves forward, a man known only as the Gray King begins systematically eliminating many major figures in Camorr's underworld.
So, why is this book great? Well, the writing is solid, and the plot is excellent and properly focused. Scott Lynch makes great use of jumping around between the past and the present, as well as pacing himself when it comes to the two major story threads in the present.
Most importantly, however, is that the characters in the story are excellent. Locke, true to his nature as an excellent confidence man, is funny, likable, and behaves in a believable manner for the entire book. This, really, encapsulates each of The Gentlemen Bastards in some way, albeit to a lesser degree.
It doesn't just end with the main characters, though. Even minor characters who exist seemingly only to move the plot forward do so in a believable manner, while going about their own lives and having their own goals.
In short, The Lies of Locke Lamora is like a collision of Ocean's Eleven, medieval Venice, and a well-developed fantasy setting, with excellent writing that will frequently amuse you. If you like any of those things, you'll probably like this book. It's just that good.
Lock Lamora is the protagonist of both the book and the overall series. He is a con artist and burglar, and leads a team of similar folk called, as per the name of the series, The Gentlemen Bastards.
The Lies of Locke Lamora is a book composed of two parts, with the two parts alternating chapters. The first part describes the history of Locke Lamora, other members of The Gentlemen Bastards (especially Jean, Locke's closest friend), and the city of Camorr, heavily based on the real city of Venice.
Locke's past describes him as an orphan, taken in by a blind thief and taught to secretly break the one code that all thieves in Camorr hold to - the Secret Peace, an arrangement by which thieves are tolerated only so long as they leave the noble class of Camorr alone. Locke is a natural talent when it comes to deception and burglary, and quickly finds a home in the man's group.
The second part of the book focuses on the present, and is the portion in which the main plot of the book takes part. In this portion of the book, The Gentlemen Bastards are planning and executing something that will make them all rich - a confidence scam involving Don Lorenzo Salvara, a rich noble.
While the scam moves forward, a man known only as the Gray King begins systematically eliminating many major figures in Camorr's underworld.
So, why is this book great? Well, the writing is solid, and the plot is excellent and properly focused. Scott Lynch makes great use of jumping around between the past and the present, as well as pacing himself when it comes to the two major story threads in the present.
Most importantly, however, is that the characters in the story are excellent. Locke, true to his nature as an excellent confidence man, is funny, likable, and behaves in a believable manner for the entire book. This, really, encapsulates each of The Gentlemen Bastards in some way, albeit to a lesser degree.
It doesn't just end with the main characters, though. Even minor characters who exist seemingly only to move the plot forward do so in a believable manner, while going about their own lives and having their own goals.
In short, The Lies of Locke Lamora is like a collision of Ocean's Eleven, medieval Venice, and a well-developed fantasy setting, with excellent writing that will frequently amuse you. If you like any of those things, you'll probably like this book. It's just that good.
Monday, October 22, 2012
Book Review: Ender's Shadow
This week's book review is on Ender's Shadow, a science fiction novel by Orson Scott Card. For those of you who have read the classic Ender's Game by the same author, the book covers the same time period from a different perspective.
While Ender's Game is told from the point of Ender, a talented child with the trial of military leadership thrust upon him, Ender's Shadow follows the story of Bean, an orphaned child from Rotterdam who joins Battle School as a method of escape.
Battle School is located on a space station, and its sole purpose is to train children found to possess the aptitudes to excel as commanders in the International Fleet, a military force driven to defend against the Formics, a hostile alien race.
Ender's Shadow is my favorite piece of science fiction writing. The concept is intriguing, and the end somewhat surprising. Card's writing is excellent, even more so here than in Ender's Game, as Ender's Shadow was written many years later.
However, the single most important thing defining Ender's Shadow as superior to Ender's Game in my mind is the nature of the protagonist. Bean is driven and moves the plot forward both through his own brilliance and as a result of true motivation. Ender, on the other hand, fights constantly against what is happening, even when there is no clear reason to do so, and advances only as a result of his natural talent.
Beyond even that, Bean is a truly multidimensional character, while Ender is flat and defined virtually only by the conflict between his talent and desire to rebel against the establishment at Battle School and within the International Fleet.
(Important Note: Ender is a more well developed character in the rest of the Ender's Game series, but in the first book he has little depth to his character. The other books in the series are excellent, and Ender's Game is in no way bad, I just feel Ender's Shadow to be the better book by a large margin.)
Anyways. Ender's Shadow has an interesting concept, a great protagonist, and an excellent author. I don't think I could suggest another science fiction book to anyone before this one, with the possible exception of one or two Asimov works.
While Ender's Game is told from the point of Ender, a talented child with the trial of military leadership thrust upon him, Ender's Shadow follows the story of Bean, an orphaned child from Rotterdam who joins Battle School as a method of escape.
Battle School is located on a space station, and its sole purpose is to train children found to possess the aptitudes to excel as commanders in the International Fleet, a military force driven to defend against the Formics, a hostile alien race.
Ender's Shadow is my favorite piece of science fiction writing. The concept is intriguing, and the end somewhat surprising. Card's writing is excellent, even more so here than in Ender's Game, as Ender's Shadow was written many years later.
However, the single most important thing defining Ender's Shadow as superior to Ender's Game in my mind is the nature of the protagonist. Bean is driven and moves the plot forward both through his own brilliance and as a result of true motivation. Ender, on the other hand, fights constantly against what is happening, even when there is no clear reason to do so, and advances only as a result of his natural talent.
Beyond even that, Bean is a truly multidimensional character, while Ender is flat and defined virtually only by the conflict between his talent and desire to rebel against the establishment at Battle School and within the International Fleet.
(Important Note: Ender is a more well developed character in the rest of the Ender's Game series, but in the first book he has little depth to his character. The other books in the series are excellent, and Ender's Game is in no way bad, I just feel Ender's Shadow to be the better book by a large margin.)
Anyways. Ender's Shadow has an interesting concept, a great protagonist, and an excellent author. I don't think I could suggest another science fiction book to anyone before this one, with the possible exception of one or two Asimov works.
Monday, October 15, 2012
Book Review: The Secret Adversary
This week's book review is on a mystery novel by Agatha Christie, The Secret Adversary.
This is the first of four books following the adventures of Tommy and Tuppence, a male and female detective, respectively. Tommy is a stubborn, sometimes slow Englishman, while Tuppence is a sly, quick Englishwoman.
In the book, the two are searching for lost documentation on a failed treaty that would have ended WWI prematurely, with positive terms for the Germans. While doing so, they discover that a man, known only as Mr. Brown, is pulling all the strings from behind the scenes. No one knows who he is, hence the name of the book.
There's not a whole lot to be said about the writing style that hasn't already been said - Agatha Christie is a great writer and will always be considered so. There's a great deal of odd humor in the book, as Tommy and Tuppence make quite the humorous pair.
I will say this, as well - this is possibly the easiest Agatha Christie mystery to solve, as I pegged the identity of Mr. Brown within the first hundred or so pages of the book.
If you like mysteries, then, you should enjoy this book. It's quick and fairly easy to read, and the possibility of guessing the ending is one that exists throughout almost the entire book, which I believe to be one of the principal enjoyments when reading a book with any sort of mystery or suspense about it. All of that and there are three more books to follow it up with!
And, yet again, a shorter review than last week. I assure you, next week's will have a bit more meat to it. If you have any suggestions as to books you would like a review of, please let me know in the comments section.
This is the first of four books following the adventures of Tommy and Tuppence, a male and female detective, respectively. Tommy is a stubborn, sometimes slow Englishman, while Tuppence is a sly, quick Englishwoman.
In the book, the two are searching for lost documentation on a failed treaty that would have ended WWI prematurely, with positive terms for the Germans. While doing so, they discover that a man, known only as Mr. Brown, is pulling all the strings from behind the scenes. No one knows who he is, hence the name of the book.
There's not a whole lot to be said about the writing style that hasn't already been said - Agatha Christie is a great writer and will always be considered so. There's a great deal of odd humor in the book, as Tommy and Tuppence make quite the humorous pair.
I will say this, as well - this is possibly the easiest Agatha Christie mystery to solve, as I pegged the identity of Mr. Brown within the first hundred or so pages of the book.
If you like mysteries, then, you should enjoy this book. It's quick and fairly easy to read, and the possibility of guessing the ending is one that exists throughout almost the entire book, which I believe to be one of the principal enjoyments when reading a book with any sort of mystery or suspense about it. All of that and there are three more books to follow it up with!
And, yet again, a shorter review than last week. I assure you, next week's will have a bit more meat to it. If you have any suggestions as to books you would like a review of, please let me know in the comments section.
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Book Review: Old Man's War
So, I'm a day late, and this review is not going to be nearly as informed as the last, as I have only read the book in question one time, know next to nothing about the author, and haven't read the rest of the series. Also, this isn't as long as my other review, probably because there isn't as much to say.
Anyways.
Old Man's War was the debut book for science fiction writer John Scalzi. Scalzi has since written another three books, with a fourth coming out sometime in the next year or so. I have read none of the other books, so those are out of the discussion for the moment.
The book itself is set in the future, where humanity is setting about colonizing other planets. Old Man's War revolves around a single character, John Perry, who joins the Colonial Defense Force at age 75, the earliest and only age at which they will accept new recruits.
First off, ignoring all else, Scalzi is an excellent writer in terms of his style. Something about it - probably the careless way that he juxtaposes wildly varying ideas or events with no change in the writing - grabs hold of your interest immediately and does not let up until the end of the book.
Old Man's War is very similar to the Heinlein science fiction classic, Starship Troopers. However, where Heinlein went to one extreme with the enormous amount of explanation and lecture in the book, Scalzi goes the other way - while you mostly know what the CDF is fighting and why they're fighting it, you don't know much else in most cases, which is kind of disappointing.
Maybe this trend is broken, maybe not, but the book itself sacrifices a lot of potential depth for the benefit, albeit not a small benefit, of never dragging and always having some amount of action going on.
Overall, I really liked the book, and you will probably also like it, assuming you like science fiction in general or Heinlein's writing in particular.
And, as a final warning, don't read the book if you're not up to plenty of violence and the occaisonal sex scene. It's well done, but that doesn't mean it isn't there.
Anyways.
Old Man's War was the debut book for science fiction writer John Scalzi. Scalzi has since written another three books, with a fourth coming out sometime in the next year or so. I have read none of the other books, so those are out of the discussion for the moment.
The book itself is set in the future, where humanity is setting about colonizing other planets. Old Man's War revolves around a single character, John Perry, who joins the Colonial Defense Force at age 75, the earliest and only age at which they will accept new recruits.
First off, ignoring all else, Scalzi is an excellent writer in terms of his style. Something about it - probably the careless way that he juxtaposes wildly varying ideas or events with no change in the writing - grabs hold of your interest immediately and does not let up until the end of the book.
Old Man's War is very similar to the Heinlein science fiction classic, Starship Troopers. However, where Heinlein went to one extreme with the enormous amount of explanation and lecture in the book, Scalzi goes the other way - while you mostly know what the CDF is fighting and why they're fighting it, you don't know much else in most cases, which is kind of disappointing.
Maybe this trend is broken, maybe not, but the book itself sacrifices a lot of potential depth for the benefit, albeit not a small benefit, of never dragging and always having some amount of action going on.
Overall, I really liked the book, and you will probably also like it, assuming you like science fiction in general or Heinlein's writing in particular.
And, as a final warning, don't read the book if you're not up to plenty of violence and the occaisonal sex scene. It's well done, but that doesn't mean it isn't there.
Monday, October 1, 2012
Book Review: The Malazan Book of the Fallen
So, yeah, book review number one. This is about my favorite series of books, so the review will probably be a little colored. Then again, considering you're supposed to write good reviews for things you like and bad ones for things you don't, this can probably be forgiven.
Anyways.
The Malazan Book of the Fallen is a ten book series written by Canadian author Steven Erikson and is my personal favorite epic fantasy series. The setting of the series is a world of high fantasy developed by Erikson and his friend, Ian Cameron Esslemont, over the course of many years.
The world itself is vast and only a small portion of the geography or history of the setting is covered in The Malazan Book of the Fallen. Each book explains what is necessary to understand things but leaves a number of questions both large and small.
Gardens of the Moon, the first book in the series, begins in media res after a Pyrrhic victory in which the Malazans sacrifice the majority of an elite military force, the Bridgeburners, to gain control of the city of Pale. The book follows the Malazan Fifth Army as it continues its conquest of the continent of Genabackis.
From here, the series follows two other major conflicts on other continents before eventually coalescing into a single conflict in the sixth book of the series, The Bonehunters.
The style of each book is very similar, mostly slow and full of day-to-day things, humor, and preparations. This is punctuated by occasional instances of conflict and, usually, tragedy, the largest of these being the climax of each book.
Erikson is a very descriptive writer with a gruff style that matches the characters and events of the story well. His humor is simple, well written, and believable, while his combat and action sequences are just the right sort of unbelievable.
The overall message of the series is complicated and contains many ideas but largely ties into the inevitability and tragedy of the major conflicts. Past the second book, there was not a climax I read with entirely dry eyes.
When reading the series, I have two pieces of advice. The first is that you hold off on forming a complete opinion of the series until the third book, Memories of Ice, by far the best book in the series.
The second is that, after finishing the fourth book, you begin the series over again. The Malazan Book of the Fallen is not chronological, and you will get a lot out of the first three books by reading them again after completing the fourth.
Overall, if you are willing to forgive the sometimes slow pace of each book, the complicated plots with many characters, and the truly vast nature of the setting, you can't find a more solid epic fantasy series than this one. If this is your kind of stuff, there is no excuse not to pick it up and enjoy.
Anyways.
The Malazan Book of the Fallen is a ten book series written by Canadian author Steven Erikson and is my personal favorite epic fantasy series. The setting of the series is a world of high fantasy developed by Erikson and his friend, Ian Cameron Esslemont, over the course of many years.
The world itself is vast and only a small portion of the geography or history of the setting is covered in The Malazan Book of the Fallen. Each book explains what is necessary to understand things but leaves a number of questions both large and small.
Gardens of the Moon, the first book in the series, begins in media res after a Pyrrhic victory in which the Malazans sacrifice the majority of an elite military force, the Bridgeburners, to gain control of the city of Pale. The book follows the Malazan Fifth Army as it continues its conquest of the continent of Genabackis.
From here, the series follows two other major conflicts on other continents before eventually coalescing into a single conflict in the sixth book of the series, The Bonehunters.
The style of each book is very similar, mostly slow and full of day-to-day things, humor, and preparations. This is punctuated by occasional instances of conflict and, usually, tragedy, the largest of these being the climax of each book.
Erikson is a very descriptive writer with a gruff style that matches the characters and events of the story well. His humor is simple, well written, and believable, while his combat and action sequences are just the right sort of unbelievable.
The overall message of the series is complicated and contains many ideas but largely ties into the inevitability and tragedy of the major conflicts. Past the second book, there was not a climax I read with entirely dry eyes.
When reading the series, I have two pieces of advice. The first is that you hold off on forming a complete opinion of the series until the third book, Memories of Ice, by far the best book in the series.
The second is that, after finishing the fourth book, you begin the series over again. The Malazan Book of the Fallen is not chronological, and you will get a lot out of the first three books by reading them again after completing the fourth.
Overall, if you are willing to forgive the sometimes slow pace of each book, the complicated plots with many characters, and the truly vast nature of the setting, you can't find a more solid epic fantasy series than this one. If this is your kind of stuff, there is no excuse not to pick it up and enjoy.
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