Reviews and Comments

I enjoyed re-reading Foundation and plan to continue to read the others in the series. As I've grown older I've become more appreciative of history and how it has shaped our lives, so reading about a science fiction setting where people effectively write the history they want to have is just fun.
The principles of psychohistory, the statistical study of masses of humans to predict their behavior, was fascinating and today's real-world applications of data science scratch at similar concepts. Of course, this is a science fiction book, but it nonetheless explores the what-if: what-if this psychohistory were real and could be applied on human civilization at large?

For a more in-depth review, check out my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2021/08/book-review-foundation-by-isaac-asimov.html

The third of the Murderbot Diaries books. This was also quite interesting with some neat new characters, particularly Miki. Though it didnt feel as good as ART, it was still a curious bot that helped grow Murderbot. Overall the story was fun, but lacked some of the clarity and intrigue of Artificial Condition. However, it does set the stage for future novels.

This is the second book of The Murderbot Diaries and I enjoyed it a lot more than the first one. It had a bit of a detective novel feel to it, even though it isn't anything like that. Plus I really enjoyed that there was another AI for Murderbot to talk to. I hope ART comes back in the future! Looking forward to reading more of these fun, short books.

This is an other great Brandon Sanderson book, even if it isn't his best. I enjoyed the characters, especially Lightsong, and the mysterious magic of Breaths and BioChroma. The magic feels far more incomplete than, for example, Mistborn or Elantris, but it feels deliberate as I'm sure Sanderson will return to this world in the future. I reread this book because of two elements in it that appeared in Words of Radiance. It's interesting to see how Sanderson is starting to link the Cosmere books together. I look forward to reading from all his series and spotting the connections!

For a full review, check out my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2014/04/book-review-warbreaker-by-brandon.html

This was a great addition to The Stormlight Archive! I enjoyed the scientific discoveries Navani and other made in that they slowly peeled back some of the mystery of the world, but did so while retaining the framework of a story rather than as an info-dump or similar. As usual, we have some strong characters and an explosive plot so this was fun to read. I took it slow and steady, but could easily have devoted large chunks of time to blaze through this. I can't wait to see how the next book resolves some of the interesting issues raised in this one!

Check out a more in-depth review at my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2020/12/book-review-rhythm-of-war-by-brandon.html

Ambience is the one word I would use to describe this book. The setting is so prevalent that I ended up wanting to read just to feel like I was in the Harbor by the Starless Sea, amidst the books reading by quiet, warm candlelight. Of course, it wasn't all soothing, there is danger as the characters struggle against forces they don't entirely understand, bringing a mythic scope to the plot alongside tangled romances. Overall, this was a rewarding book to be read slowly and ponder all its intricate connections.

For a full review, check out my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2020/11/book-review-starless-sea-by-erin.html

Blackout/All Clear was a pretty good pair of books with some epic events going on. It featured some interesting characters caught in the chaos of WW2 in London and their struggle to return home, or at least get a message out to the future. The plot was tense and chaotic, but with a good, enjoyable payoff when it delivered. And the setting was cool. I wouldn't mind seeing more time travel novels from Connie Willis, but in terms of preference I enjoyed [b:Doomsday Book|24983|Doomsday Book (Oxford Time Travel, #1)|Connie Willis|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1403972500l/24983.SY75.jpg|2439628] over [b:To Say Nothing of the Dog|77773|To Say Nothing of the Dog (Oxford Time Travel, #2)|Connie Willis|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1469410460l/77773.SY75.jpg|696] over Blackout/All Clear and would recommend others read them in that order.

For my full review, check out my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2020/10/book-review-blackout-all-clear-by.html

I'll have a detailed review of this when I finish [b:All Clear|7519231|All Clear (All Clear, #2)|Connie Willis|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1320549311l/7519231.SY75.jpg|9735628] since this is somewhat of an incomplete story, or just the first half of a novel.

Holy shit this was an incredible book. It has it all: a very intriguing setting that keeps you wondering how things work. A plot that keeps you glued to the story; I had many theories on what was going on- most of them wrong. And characters that are fascinating to read about, whether they are discussing the mysteries of life and death, visiting other planets, or just enjoying some soup. I highly recommend this series and can't wait for the next book!

Read my full review at my blog (warning: has spoilers for [b:Gideon the Ninth|42036538|Gideon the Ninth (The Locked Tomb, #1)|Tamsyn Muir|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1546870952l/42036538.SY75.jpg|60943229]): strakul.blogspot.com/2020/08/book-review-harrow-ninth-by-tamsyn-muir.html