Reviews and Comments

This is definitely a second book in a trilogy. Don't expect to be able to stop here. I've already got The Unwaba Revelations on my shelf.

We learn more about the universe and the forces that shape it. There are many mysteries and revelations that illuminate events from the first novel but so many forces are plotting behind the scenes it can be hard to follow.

But the important bit is the breaking of the fourth wall and the satire of the fantasy genre. It's reminiscent of the very early Discworld novels, but dark.

Sasha is coming into her power and trying to stand up to the teachers and Farit as they try to beat her into submission.

The power of the novel is still in the complexity of the magic system and the palpable danger.

However, as Sasha grows and gains more agency she becomes less sympathetic, she is not as innocent and she makes her own bad choices.

I had a hard time following the grammatical magic lessons, but was rewarded with a profound ending that brought it all together and made sense. I had to sit down and digest it for a bit.

This is a satire about fat shaming as policy. About coercion as a behavior modifying method. About the prison system. It takes aim both at the public and private sectors. But most of all it takes aim at the notion that fat people are less healthy and thin people shouldn't pay for their healthcare.

It is the story of one couple's struggle against a rigged system.

As a satire about obesity there are allot of landmines here. But the factoids about wait loss science help keep the reader grounded and make sure no one thinks the author endorses any of the methods used by the Calorie Reduction Centers.

This was a bit of a slog, especially as an audiobook.

It wasn't easy to follow the investigation, and the combination of many foreign words and the whispery dramatic narration didn't help. (I've listened to other novels set in Africa and didn't have issues).

I appreciate the lesson on the injustices of colonialism, but I would have liked to learn more about the local culture and the magic behind the gravity defying bombs.

Expect an investigation of colonial crimes and don't expect the fantastical elements to matter and you may have a better experience than I did.

On one hand this Gam Gam is definitely written as a cozy novel for a middle grade audience.

On the other hand, it has some scenes that I don't think are appropriate for such a young audience.

I'm not talking about the necromancy, I'm talking about torture, and a child witnessing the violent murder of her parents first hand.

This is a novel about dealing with death, Gam Gam is there to guide and support Mina, and for the most part the violence is kept to a cartoon level. Irreversible death only happens when necessary for the plot.

There are middle grade novels that I enjoy, but Gam Gam lacks any subtext or subtlety, there are no hidden gems, there are no hidden depths.

The crazy thing about Arboreality is that for all the pane and loss of the climate apocalypse, it is a hopeful novella.

The loss and tragedy are central to the plot, but adaptation and perseverance are the direction it takes.

Together with a great love of wood and trees and a wonderful violin subplot. This tail of changing people in a changing landscape is a very human story about the history and future of forests.

I hardly remember anything about the plot and characters of The Name of the Wind. But I remember it being fun to read.

The Narrow Road Between Desires follows Bast, a character I don't recall and it's a tun of fun to read.

I guess I'm missing some context, but this is great even as a standalone.

The tone of good matured mischief, that prevails even through the serious bits makes this a wonderful cozy read.

A different and refreshing take on the vampire trope. Exploring a society of information eaters.

But this is first and foremost the story of a young mother's rebellion against the patriarchy. A long emotional journey with no easy choices.

On one hand it is a very extreme novel, with evil and cruelty that would in many cases seem cartoonish. However Sunyi Dean manages to build a world where the characters motivations are clear and their actions are a understood as logical within their own frame of reference.

Carey's Sci-Fi is aimed at a general audience, never assuming that the reader is already familiar with genre concepts. In this case multiverse imperialism and hive vs. individual intelligence.

Normally this would be frustrating for me, but in this case, it turns a tense high stakes novel into a cozy low stakes read, where you don't have to pay full attention in order to catch every hint. If you miss something it will be explained again.

M. R. Carey made me care about the characters and their role in the cataclysmic events to come and this carried me through the drudge.

I had trouble with Fura in Revenger, So I was glad to see that Shadow Captain is lead by Adrana.

This is very much a second book in a trilogy and it takes allot of time going nowhere slowly.

I did enjoy it, but it's not what I would have wanted from such an interesting world.

It is about morality and not giving in to generational trauma. I would have liked it to be about exploring the Dyson Swarm.

We do get teased with the mystery of the swarm towards the end, so I hope for a more interesting third book.

Piranesi appealed to me on so many levels.

He is a fish out of water, but he has adapted. The way he adapted, studying his environment with an innocent yet scientific eye, was the most appealing aspect for me. The descriptions of the statues; the meaning the myth and art embedded in them was a wonderful cherry on the cake.

The way Susana Clarke stuck the landing was also perfect.

What a wonderful experience.