Ian reviewed Fever Beach by Carl Hiaasen
“THE AFTERNOON OF SEPTEMBER FIRST, DISHWATER-GRAY AND RAINY, A MAN NAMED DALE FIGGO PICKED UP …
Not my thing. Turns out that I'm not the biggest fan of gangster narratives.
Reviews and Comments
He/him. Chemical engineer and environmental risk assessor. Dance & theatre. D&D 5e. Mostly but not exclusively SciFi and Fantasy novels. English etymology. History of science & engineering. CriticalRole & Dropout. Find me elsewhere in the Fediverse at @ijc@mstdn.ca.
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Ian rated Isles of the Emberdark: 4 stars
Isles of the Emberdark by Brandon Sanderson (Cosmere)
All his life, Sixth of the Dusk has been a traditional trapper of Aviar—the supernatural birds his people bond with—on …
Ian reviewed Katabasis by R.F. Kuang
Two graduate students must set aside their rivalry and journey to Hell to save their …
I enjoyed this book a lot, but it seemed to falter a bit in the last third.
4 stars
Ian reviewed She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan
In a famine-stricken village on a dusty plain, a seer shows two children their fates. …
A well-written exploration of how two individuals navigate gender roles and gender incongruity with a great plot and fantasy twist.
4 stars
"Stylish and action-packed, full of ambitious families and guilt-ridden loves, Jade City is an epic …
Not my thing. Turns out that I'm not the biggest fan of gangster narratives.
Ian reviewed Perilous Times by Thomas D. Lee
An immortal Knight of the Round Table faces his greatest challenge yet—saving the politically polarized, …
Quite enjoyable! Not sure I saw all the claimed humour, but a good story.
4 stars
Ian reviewed The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett (Shadow of the Leviathan, #1)
In Daretana’s greatest mansion, a high imperial officer lies dead—killed, to all appearances, when a …
Incredible. An excellent fantasy-mystery read. Highly recommended!
5 stars
Ian reviewed Can You Solve the Murder? by Antony Johnston
Step into the shoes of a detective and investigate the most mysterious crime of your …
Outstanding. Great puzzle book and excellent murder mystery.
5 stars
Ian reviewed Witch King by Martha Wells (The Rising World, #1)
Kai-Enna is the Witch King, though he hasn’t always been, and he hasn’t even always …
Good story, but didn't really feel engaged with the characters.
3 stars
Ian reviewed What's Gotten into You by Dan Levitt
interesting subject matter, but poorly edited with factual errors present.
2 stars
Ian reviewed Rose/House by Arkady Martine
“I’m a piece of architecture, Detective. How should I know how humans are like to …
Creepy and clever. Really enjoyed it!
4 stars
Ian reviewed Two Serpents Rise by Max Gladstone
"Shadow demons plague the city reservoir, and Red King Consolidated has sent in Caleb Altemoc--casual …
Pretty good fantasy/legal thriller
3 stars
Ian reviewed A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske
A nice light balance of fantasy and queer romance
3 stars
...also with a lot to say about contracts and their role in society and relationships. I did enjoy the depth given to the two lead men. I will gladly read the rest of the series.
Ian reviewed The Murder Room by P.D. James
A good mystery from PD James.
3 stars
Ian reviewed A Most Puzzling Murder by Bianca Marais
Destiny Whip is a former child prodigy, world-renowned enigmatologist and very, very alone. A life …
I don't think the author was sure how to tell the story she wanted to tell.
1 star
Content warning Mild spoilers
The puzzle mechanic didn't seem to serve a purpose; neither did the choose-a-path decisions. I would have preferred a consistent reason for the puzzles to be present, and to make them of consistent (or even increasing) difficulty, and for there to be a meta-puzzle of some kind. The story itself seemed haphazard in terms of both plot and tone, and the characterization of Destiny was heavy-handed in comparison to the other characters. I did appreciate the constantly-revised family tree diagrams. It felt like the book may have been originally written for a YA audience, but the presence of a 20+ victim serial killer in the plot and other dark events made me doubt that assessment.