epic fantasy – Page 11 – Cannonball Read 17

I did not expect to love this book so much, or at all. #CBRBingo – Reader’s Choice

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

September 30, 2019 by narfna 2 Comments

I really, really liked this. I was actually really nervous about this one because I did not like her first book, The Bone Season, when I read it years ago. It was by turns over- and under-written, and to me at least, was obviously written by someone still finding her writing voice. I was hoping that in the future she would write something else that would show her matured talents, and sure enough, that is exactly what happened. What a difference ten years can make […]

Part 2 of the trilogy is the worst, even in book 3

The Dragon Lords Bad Faith by Jon Hollis

March 23, 2019 by CoffeeShopReader Leave a Comment

The Dragon Lords: Bad Faith is divided into 3 parts, and is itself part 3 of a trilogy. I rather enjoyed part 1 (Fools Gold), hated part 2 (False Idols), and part 3 was kind of meh. It wasn’t as bad as part 2 with no one to root for, and it added some good characterization and a few new characters, but it was also 200 pages too long. The second part of the book is ironically yet appropriately titled “Bad Decisions”, one of which […]

Everybody please read this so I can have somebody to talk to about it.

Black Leopard, Red Wolf (The Dark Star Trilogy, #1) by Marlon James

February 18, 2019 by narfna 3 Comments

NB: I received a gratis copy of the book from the publisher but that has not affected the content of my review. “You want to know what’s my purpose? To kill the men who killed my brother and father, leaving a grandfather fucking my own mother. To kill the men who killed my brother, because they killed him because he killed one of theirs. Who killed one of his, who killed one of theirs, and on and on while even gods die. My purpose is […]

A Lopsided Rivalry – the Book Blurb Was a Bit Off on this One

August 8, 2018 by Jen K 1 Comment

Bingo Square: Snubbed! (Nebula Finalist) I am a huge fan of A Song of Ice and Fire, and both epic historical fiction and epic fantasy series. As a result, this type of novel was going to appeal to me even if I have been hesitant about reading it for no logical reason – I became aware of Ken Liu because of the praise he received as the translator of The Three Body Problem, and was needlessly worried that his novels would have a similar focus […]

non-linear narrative fail

July 11, 2018 by alwaysanswerb Leave a Comment

You know what’s really fun? Coming up with new ways to “critique” a series that you’re still inexplicably reading even though you haven’t really enjoyed it from the very beginning. Thankfully, this is the second to last book, so I’m so freaking close to being done with this thing. Anyway! #6, Tower of Swallows is clearly the one where Sapkowski just said “fuck it” to anything like a comprehensible narrative structure or manageable set of POVs (although the latter has been on life support for […]

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

June 19, 2018 by alwaysanswerb Leave a Comment

This series is so highly rated, and I am five books in wondering what I just don’t understand. It’s not terrible, but from my view it’s a very middling, derivative fantasy series. I guess every series just has its fans who do connect with it, and I’m certainly guilty of fanning all over series whose appeal leaves other people stumped. I should have reviewed this sooner. It’s been nearly a month and I don’t remember anything that really happened in Baptism of Fire, and it’s […]

Zirza on A Gothic Classic for a ReasonIt's one of those wish-you-could-read-it-again-for-the-first-time books. I loved it.
Emmalita on “It came to something when you found yourself hoping that the footsteps you heard were ghosts.”I loved the ending! I don’t think it’s been out long enough to talk about why though.
Dixie on Track Her Down by Melinda LeighI am just starting Track Her Down and I have read them all in order till now and thought I...
Roland of Gilead on How can you give us the gift of a crazy character named Rando Thoughtful and then just as suddenly take that gift away? We need to talk, Uncle Stevie.I came across this randomly years after it was written because I was searching "Random Thoughtful. But I have the...
Emmalita on “Only you, Em, would refer to heartbreak as a distraction. I think I would have a more sympathetic response if I asked to marry a bookcase.”Oh my goodness, Gallifrey was beautiful. I’m sure her mittens were gloriously murdery.

Help Our Mission