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samtherat17's reviews
160 reviews
The Frugal Wizard's Handbook for Surviving Medieval England by Brandon Sanderson
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
To be honest, I wasn't expecting a lot from this book after seeing the reception it had received, but it really surprised me. The whole concept of the time-traveler/frugal wizard recovering his memory in medieval England is fascinating. This is a very unusual type of story for a guy like Brandon Sanderson, and probably as far from something like The Stormlight Archive as you can get.
But, you know what? I found this book to be very entertaining and fun, and although some of the wacky elements may have gone a bit overboard(I mean, the whole boxing thing was a bit much) , I really liked the setting and how it was explored. I also enjoyed the jokes a lot, but it's very evident that they will definitely not be to everyone's taste. I just find this type of silly humour very entertaining.
Really, the only thing I disliked was the romance angle, because it seemed a bit unrealistic and rushed, to be honest. Apart from that, the book was quite engaging, and the handbook parts were pretty cool, though I feel like they made the narrative stutter in some parts. Overall though, a very fun book, and it was quite refreshing to read something like this from an epic fantasy behemoth like Sanderson.
But, you know what? I found this book to be very entertaining and fun, and although some of the wacky elements may have gone a bit overboard
Really, the only thing I disliked was the romance angle, because it seemed a bit unrealistic and rushed, to be honest. Apart from that, the book was quite engaging, and the handbook parts were pretty cool, though I feel like they made the narrative stutter in some parts. Overall though, a very fun book, and it was quite refreshing to read something like this from an epic fantasy behemoth like Sanderson.
Best Served Cold by Joe Abercrombie
adventurous
dark
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Best Served Cold is a great standalone entry into the First Law Universe, and on par with any of the books in the original trilogy. Joe Abercrombie continues to show why he is one of the best character writers in fantasy, with memorable personalities all across the board.
I found the way the book was structured very cool. It's almost episodic in a way, with every area having its own dedicated section. Abercrombie manages to explore Styria without compromising on the story, and the decision to structure the story this way pays off massively, because with every city/person assasinated , we get closer and closer to the final act, and the buildup to the ultimate showdown is elevated tremendously.
Anyway, coming to the meat of the story, at its core, Best Served Cold is a revenge story, and a pretty badass one at that. Monza is a excellent character and her arc throughout the story is a rollercoaster ride. But, even better than Monza's arc, for me, is the journey of a returning character: Shivers. Without delving into spoilers, let's just say that he evolves a lot throughout the book and you won't want to miss his story. Nicomo Cosca is also probably one of my favourite characters in the First Law universe, and he is just a blast to read. What a legend. His antics, and this book overall, had me laughing in almost every other chapter. Abercrombie's humour hits you right in the fruits, as he would say.
Also, can we just talk about that final act? The backstabbing, the combat, the trickery...this is what makes First Law so good. The references to the original trilogy were also fun to spot and theorise about, and without saying too much, it's very cool to see what some familiar characters are up to.
So yeah, that's about it I guess. It's very hard to develop such amazing characters in a standalone as compared to a series due to the shorter time span, but Joe Abercrombie pulls it off, and in spectacular fashion. This definitely makes me hyped to read the other standalones in the future.
I found the way the book was structured very cool. It's almost episodic in a way, with every area having its own dedicated section. Abercrombie manages to explore Styria without compromising on the story, and the decision to structure the story this way pays off massively, because with every city/
Anyway, coming to the meat of the story, at its core, Best Served Cold is a revenge story, and a pretty badass one at that. Monza is a excellent character and her arc throughout the story is a rollercoaster ride. But, even better than Monza's arc, for me, is the journey of a returning character: Shivers. Without delving into spoilers, let's just say that he evolves a lot throughout the book and you won't want to miss his story. Nicomo Cosca is also probably one of my favourite characters in the First Law universe, and he is just a blast to read. What a legend. His antics, and this book overall, had me laughing in almost every other chapter. Abercrombie's humour hits you right in the fruits, as he would say.
Also, can we just talk about that final act? The backstabbing, the combat, the trickery...this is what makes First Law so good. The references to the original trilogy were also fun to spot and theorise about, and without saying too much, it's very cool to see what some familiar characters are up to.
So yeah, that's about it I guess. It's very hard to develop such amazing characters in a standalone as compared to a series due to the shorter time span, but Joe Abercrombie pulls it off, and in spectacular fashion. This definitely makes me hyped to read the other standalones in the future.
The Valley of Fear by Arthur Conan Doyle
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Honestly, I'm quite surprised that this novel doesn't seem to be rated that highly by readers. I personally think that it's a masterpiece. Conan Doyle uses a similar technique to A Study In Scarlet, going back to provide the background to the main case, and to be honest, I think that the flashback part might be my favourite segment of any Sherlock story. I know, it's a pretty bold take, but that's just how I feel about it. The atmosphere of the 'Valley of Fear' is true to its name, and the tale of McMurdo is riveting. And of course, the final twist. What a mic drop moment, man.
The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
A classic mystery novel for a reason. The narrative of Dr Watson is something pretty unique for a Sherlock story, as Holmes's absence allows for Conan Doyle to take a completely different route. The setting of the moor is also probably one of the best locations in a mystery thriller, and the author describes it beautifully and masterfully builds a threatening and creepy atmosphere. And of course, the resolution to the case is thrilling as always.
A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
A brilliant introduction to a character who is a detective fiction behemoth. The mystery is thrilling, and the while the switch to the other narrative does break the pace a little bit, it is still masterfully written, and the unraveling of the case is absolutely mind-blowing to read. Some of the Mormon stuff is a product of its time, though.
The Sign of Four by Arthur Conan Doyle
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Probably the worst of the Sherlock novels, but still quite entertaining. It is definitely a product of its time and contains a fair amount of racism, but ignoring that, it is an engaging mystery. Although, the explanation at the end does stretch a bit too long.
The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
A stellar collection, but I still prefer Adventures. Some of the stories just narrate an incident instead of an actual case, which is fine, but not exactly what I want coming into a Sherlock story.
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I think if I was to recommend one Sherlock short story collection, it would be this one. It has some of his most iconic mysteries, and almost all of the stories are smash-hits for me.
The Lesser Devil by Christopher Ruocchio
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I found The Lesser Devil to be an entertaining novella, and the plot and battle scenes were engaging. Crispin’s character arc was also pretty good, but I felt like there were some clichés such as the big battle speech which sees the character come into his own. Apart from that though, it was really cool to see Kyra make a return and it was also nice to see how Crispin talked about Hadrian. The Catholic stuff was alright, I guess. I didn’t really care for it. The final act on the ship was epic, though.
So yeah, that’s about it I guess. This wasn’t at the level of the main Sun Eater series, and the prose was noticeably less flowery, but I think that it was still quality and definitely worth a read.
So yeah, that’s about it I guess. This wasn’t at the level of the main Sun Eater series, and the prose was noticeably less flowery, but I think that it was still quality and definitely worth a read.
Five Little Pigs by Agatha Christie
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
A pretty great Poirot mystery. Agatha Christie somehow made 5 people telling the same story after 16 years seem really interesting, and the trademark 'final meeting' was absolutely riveting.