Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

What was the point?

The Book That Held Her Heart by Mark Lawrence

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I was dreading this book. I found this series last summer, and the first one was so magical and creative. The second one, though, was already a bit of a struggle, focusing on the darkness of the story being explored, losing the magic that made it so interesting even while exploring dark themes. So was I worried about whether this would get the story back on track? Of course. Then I saw this novel was around 360 pages – while the length surprised me since […]

Fear is a valuable commodity. It’s common sense compressed into its purest form.

The Liar's Key: The Red Queen's War #2 by Mark Lawrence

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It’s hard to play the enigmatic prince of romance when the object of your affections gets to watch you shit into the sea twice a day. ― Mark Lawrence, The Liar’s Key After finishing the first book, Prince of Fools, over Christmas, I figured I’d be done with the trilogy by the end of January. Even though the first book meandered a bit, I was invested enough in Jalan and Snorri to push through and see what awaited them on the black ice. The second […]

God gave us horses so we could run away faster.

Prince of Fools: The Red Queen's War #1 by Mark Lawrence

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Cowards divide into two broad groups. Those paralysed by their fear, and those galvanized by it. ― Mark Lawrence, Prince of Fools I’ve always felt that the placement of a man’s testicles is an eloquent argument against intelligent design. ― Mark Lawrence, Prince of Fools Prince Jalan is the third son of the third son of the queen of Red March. Despite being a long way off from the path of succession, he’s successfully used his title of prince to maximum effectiveness. He’s a gambler, […]

Books within books

The Book That Wouldn't Burn by Mark Lawrence

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I suspect that a lot of Cannonballers would, like me, immediately pick this book up based on a quick read of the back cover. Evar has lived his whole life trapped in an incomprehensibly enormous library. While Livira, a nobody from a dust town, finds herself inextricably linked to his – and the library’s – fate. Enormous library? Sign me up! I’m not sure if I had a clear idea of my expectations from this book – perhaps a big adventure, or star crossed lovers, […]

First Book of the Year – A Book About Books

The Book That Wouldn’t Burn by Mark Lawrence

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This is a late start for me this year—I have had a very busy couple of months. Hopefully things smooth out a bit! Lucky me, Mark Lawrence knocks it out of the park again. The man can write some serious engaging blends of fantasy and science fiction. With The Book That Wouldn’t Burn—the first book of his new trilogy—we have a love letter to stories, libraries and nostalgia.  Unlike a number of his previous trilogies (yes, the man is a prolific writer) The Book That […]

January 2024 Leftovers

The Battle of Hastings: The Fall of the Anglo-Saxons and the Rise of the Normans by Jim Bradbury

Time to Murder and Create by Lawrence Block

Charlesgate Confidential by Scott von Doviak

Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence

Sword Song by Bernard Cornwell

The Trouble With Peace by Joe Abercrombie

Really Good, Actually by Monica Heisey

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A lot of folks said this month was slow but I thought it flew by… The Battle of Hastings: The Fall of the Anglo-Saxons and the Rise of the Normans *** Bit too stuffy and academic but gave me a great outline as to the importance of the Battle and its outcomes. Time to Murder and Create **** This is the second time I’ve come out of a Matthew Scudder re-read with a better impression than the first time I read it. How it bodes for the […]



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