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Title:
The Witchwood Crown Series: The Last King of
Osten Ard #1 Author: Tad Williams Rating:
1 of 5 Stars / DNF@79% Genre: Epic Fantasy Pages:
880 / 697 Words: 349K / 276K Publish:
2017
Williams
retcons one of the now dead characters from Memory, Sorrow
& Thorn into being a
bisexual and then gives one of the laziest and most dishonest
philosophical reasonings for why homosexuality is “ok” that I
have ever read. And he does it in two paragraphs.
So
this is where Williams and I part ways.
★☆☆☆☆
From
Grokipedia
Thirty
years have passed since the events of the Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn
trilogy, and the world of Osten Ard has reached a critical turning
point once again.[16][12] The novel returns to the beloved
universe and characters of the original series while introducing new
narrative threads centered on the royal family, emerging figures, and
the resurgence of ancient enemies.[13]The realm faces threats from
divisive forces that undermine unity, as old allies are lost and some
are drawn toward darker paths.[16] Amid this internal
instability, the most ominous danger emerges from the Norns, the
long-vanquished elvish adversaries who are stirring once more and
preparing to reclaim the mortal-ruled lands they once
dominated.[16][12]As the opening volume of The Last King of Osten Ard
series, The Witchwood Crown employs a deliberate pace to establish
these escalating conflicts and larger stakes, setting the foundation
for the tetralogy through interconnected threads of political turmoil
and immortal menace.[16] The narrative builds toward an
unresolved tension that foreshadows greater perils ahead.[12]
Major characters
The
Witchwood Crown features an expansive ensemble cast with more than
fifteen point-of-view characters, enabling a multifaceted narrative
that shifts perspectives across humans, trolls, and Norns thirty
years after the original trilogy. [17] [18]King Simon
Snowlock and Queen Miriamele return as the aging rulers of Osten Ard,
depicted as a long-married couple whose partnership remains the
emotional core of their reign despite the inevitable strains of time,
with Simon retaining his underlying naivety and good-hearted nature
while Miriamele provides pragmatic counsel shaped by her own past
experiences. [19] [20] Binabik the troll also
reappears as a key figure, now older and separated by distance and
duties but still valued for his wisdom, having endured personal
losses including the death of his longtime wolf companion
Qantaqa. [20]Supporting returning characters include trusted
advisors such as Tiamak of the Wran, Count Eolair of Hernystir, and
Jeremias, Simon's childhood friend who has advanced to a prominent
station in the royal court. [19] Pasevalles, once a minor
figure, assumes a significantly larger role in the story. [19]The
younger generation centers on Prince Morgan, Simon and Miriamele's
grandson and heir apparent, characterized as a moody, recalcitrant,
and seemingly spoiled youth whose journey reflects echoes of his
grandfather's early impulsiveness while introducing distinct personal
struggles and the need for growth. [19] [17]New characters
provide fresh perspectives, particularly from the Norns, with Nezeru
emerging as one of the book's most complex and compelling figures—a
half-mortal daughter of a Norn high magister whose internal conflicts
over her dual heritage create profound tension. [19] [17] Her
father Viyeki, a prominent Norn builder and magister introduced in
the bridge novella The Heart of What Was Lost, offers additional
insight into Norn society through his viewpoint. [20] Other
supporting new figures, such as the warrior Porto and trollish
companion Little Snenneq, contribute to the broad cast and
generational shifts
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Title:
Dragons of Autumn Twilight Series:
Dragonlance Chronicles #1 Author: Margaret Weis &
Tracy Hickman Rating: 1.5 of 5 Stars DNF@49% Genre:
Fantasy Pages: 412 / 202 Words:
151K / 74K Publish: 1984
I
would have enjoyed this much more 30-35 years ago. I probably would
have eaten it up with a spoon, both hands and tried to use my feet to
shove even more in. And I would have had very fond memories of it,
which might have tided me over a re-read today.
However,
none of that happened, so I went into this completely unblinkered and
seeing this from my perspective of “now” without any nostalgia
glasses or youth. It was not pretty.
This
was written for teenagers without experience. The characters are all
supposed to be almost 30, and in some cases, much older, but they all
ACT like teenagers. They fight amongst themselves, they are jerks,
they scream and holler at the worst possible times, they play “jokes”
that are mean-spirited and they don’t think about anybody but
themselves as individuals. Plus, at one point they all get a ride
from a group of Pegasi that are supposed to take them right to the
place they need to go to prevent a world ending evil from happening
and the pegasus leader is like “nope, it’s too evil, we’re
dropping you off here because it is too dangerous. Sorry/not sorry!”
and they have to traipse through an impassable swamp. It was
ridiculous.
I
talked about the characters being jerks to each other, but one in
particular really annoyed me. His name was Raistlin and he was a
wizard and a brother to one of the other members of the party who was
some sort of warrior’y kind of guy. Raistlin was a selfish son of a
bastard from the get-go and despised everyone in the party, including
his own brother, because they didn’t have the knowledge he did
(which he’d spent years learning and paying a massive physical
price for). He was physically sick a lot, but also I’d say he was
mentally sick and emotionally sick. He was the kind of character I
could see becoming a Saruman kind of figure.
Plus
there was more stuff and I realized at the 200 page mark that I was
just feeling miserable with this. So I dnf’d this and will not be
trying another Dragonlance book ever again. That being said, this is
something I would recommend to the teen crowd because I think reading
the Fantasy genre is good for the developing teen mind. It is raw
fuel for their mind, just like an entire pizza is fuel for their
body. I’d probably die if I tried to eat an entire pizza now ;-)
★✬☆☆☆
From
Grokipedia
Dragons
of Autumn Twilight follows a group of longtime companions who reunite
in the treetop village of Solace at the Inn of the Last Home after
five years apart, amid rumors of returning dragons and the apparent
abandonment of the gods. [5] [6] Their gathering is
disrupted by the arrival of two Plainsmen, Goldmoon and Riverwind,
who carry a mysterious blue crystal staff capable of miraculous
healing, suggesting the possible return of divine power to
Krynn. [5] [6] When draconian soldiers serving the
Dragon Highlord Verminaard attack Solace in pursuit of the staff, the
companions flee together, joined by the Plainsmen, and are guided by
a seemingly senile old wizard named Fizban as they escape
downriver. [6]The group's perilous journey leads them through
haunted forests and devastated lands, including the ruined village of
Que-shu, where Goldmoon and Riverwind confront their past
losses. [6] Directed by visions and aided by the
Forestmaster and her pegasi, they reach the flooded ruins of Xak
Tsaroth within a critical timeframe. [6] There, they
navigate treacherous depths inhabited by gully dwarves and
draconians, culminating in a confrontation with the black dragon
Khisanth, guardian of the staff's origins. [6] Goldmoon
employs the staff against the dragon, destroying it but apparently
sacrificing herself; the gods revive her and grant the Disks of
Mishakal, platinum discs inscribed with the true teachings of the
good deities, marking the rediscovery of divine magic. [6] The
battle causes further destruction to the city, forcing the companions
to escape with the sacred disks. [6]Upon returning, the
companions find Solace and surrounding areas occupied by the
Dragonarmies. [6] Captured and enslaved, they are
transported in a caravan where they encounter Tanis's elven cousin
Gilthanas and Fizban again; elven attackers aid their escape. [6] The
group reaches the elven kingdom of Qualinesti, where tensions arise
over Tanis's heritage, but the elves agree to assist in disrupting
the Dragonarmies by freeing slaves held at the fortress of Pax
Tharkas. [6] Joined by Tika and later Laurana, they
infiltrate the fortress, navigating traps and guards while
encountering the enigmatic Berem, a man with a green gemstone
embedded in his chest. [6]In the climactic confrontation at Pax
Tharkas, the companions battle Dragon Highlord Verminaard and his
forces. [6] With Fizban's intervention stripping
Verminaard's clerical powers, they defeat him, leading to the
liberation of the enslaved people and a partial collapse of the
fortress. [6] Goldmoon and Riverwind marry in the
aftermath, offering a moment of respite as the companions prepare for
the escalating war against the Dragonarmies. [6] The
narrative unfolds as an episodic quest that begins with a reunion and
the discovery of the blue crystal staff, progresses through trials
that restore divine knowledge, and culminates in the dramatic
liberation at Pax Tharkas. [6]
Major
characters
The major characters
in Dragons of
Autumn Twilight center
on the Companions, a diverse group of longtime friends who reunite in
Solace and become known as the Heroes of the Lance, each bringing
distinct backgrounds, personalities, and interpersonal tensions that
shape their bonds. Tanis Half-Elven, the half-elf ranger and de facto
leader, grapples with his heritage as the son of a human brigand and
an elf maiden, feeling like an outcast among both races and often
hiding his pointed ears in human society. [6] [7] His
conflicted nature is deepened by past romantic connections to the elf
Laurana and the ambitious human Kitiara Uth Matar. [6]Sturm
Brightblade, a principled Knight of Solamnia, stands as a classic
idealist in a morally ambiguous world, marked by his strong sense of
honor, melancholy outlook, and kind-hearted nature, often clashing
with more cynical companions through his rigid adherence to chivalric
values. [6] The twin brothers Caramon and Raistlin Majere
provide stark contrast within the group: Caramon is a physically
powerful, good-hearted warrior who loyally protects his brother,
while Raistlin is a frail, brilliant, and deeply bitter mage whose
past suffering has fostered cynicism, arrogance, and ambition,
tempered by rare moments of tenderness toward those close to
him. [6] Their inseparable bond reflects complementary
halves, with Caramon's straightforward strength offsetting Raistlin's
intellectual intensity and vulnerability. [6]Flint Fireforge, an
elderly hill dwarf craftsman, serves as a gruff mentor figure and
source of comic relief, frequently complaining about his age and
prone to pratfalls, though his experience and loyalty anchor the
group. [6] Tasslehoff Burrfoot, a kender driven by
insatiable curiosity and fearlessness, acts as the group's
lighthearted rogue, "borrowing" items without malice while
displaying surprising empathy and social awareness that balance the
party's heavier tones. [6]Goldmoon, a plains barbarian cleric
bearing the sacred Blue Crystal Staff, carries the weight of
rediscovering true divine faith, portrayed as aloof yet burdened by
responsibility and tragedy, while her partner Riverwind is a
protective, suspicious warrior whose devotion to her is complicated
by their shared hardships. [6] Their arrival introduces
spiritual renewal to the companions, contrasting with the group's
more secular dynamics. [6]Supporting figures include Tika
Waylan, a brave barmaid who evolves from inexperience to capable
fighter amid fear and growth; Fizban, a doddering yet mysteriously
powerful wizard who offers comic relief and enigmatic guidance;
Kitiara Uth Matar, the skilled and ambitious warrior tied to Tanis
and the Majere siblings through family and past; Lord Verminaard, the
ruthless Dragon Highlord and primary antagonist; and Elistan, a
cleric who emerges as a key spiritual leader. [6] The
companions' relationships are defined by constant bickering rooted in
personality clashes—such as Raistlin's cynicism against Sturm's
idealism, Tanis's stoicism versus Tasslehoff's irresponsibility, and
the twins' interdependence—yet underpinned by profound loyalty and
willingness to risk everything for one another.
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Title:
Ethan of Athos Series: Vorkosigan Saga
#3 Author: Lois Bujold Rating: 1 of 5
Stars DNF@14% Genre: SF Pages: 183
/ 25 Words: 63K / 9K Publish: 1986
Due
to the main character having a sexual relationship with his foster
brother, I will not be reading any more by Bujold.
★☆☆☆☆
From
Wikipedia
Dr.
Ethan Urquhart, Chief of Biology at the Sevarin District Reproduction
Centre on Athos, is upset to find that his long-awaited shipment of
ovarian tissue cultures from off-planet consists of an unusable
mixture of dead and animal tissues. An all-male planetary colony,
Athos relies on uterine replicator technology for reproduction, but
the centuries-old cultures introduced by the original colonists have
recently begun deteriorating into senescence. The Population
Council of Athos sends a reluctant Ethan to the planet Jackson's
Whole, where the shipment originated, in search of a fresh batch of
tissue cultures and (if possible) a refund from the supplier, House
Bharaputra, one of the crime syndicates which rule Jackson's Whole.
This already difficult assignment is made more so because it means
dealing with women, whom Athosians are taught to view as demonic and
terrifying.
Ethan
arrives at the interstellar hub of Kline Station and immediately
encounters his first woman, Commander Elli Quinn, a rather unorthodox
intelligence officer with the Dendarii Free Mercenary Fleet (and a
subordinate of Admiral Naismith's). Though she is pleasant and
even helpful, Ethan is wary of her. He is soon abducted and
interrogated by military agents from Cetaganda who are
seeking a fugitive named Terrence Cee, as well as their own lost
tissue cultures. They refuse to believe that Ethan is not an opposing
intelligence operative. Elli rescues Ethan from certain execution.
They become reluctant allies; Elli explains that she has actually
been hired by House Bharaputra to track the Cetagandans, and for her
own reasons determine what their interest is in the tissue cultures
and how it relates to a secret Cetagandan research project.
Terrence
approaches Ethan with a request for asylum, revealing himself to be
the last survivor of a Cetagandan genetic project to
create telepaths. Although his telepathy is reliable, it has a
small range and can only be triggered for a short amount of time by
ingesting large doses of the amino acid tyramine. Terrance's
female counterpart, Janine, had been killed in their escape, but he
managed to preserve her body and transport it to Jackson's Whole,
where he paid House Bharaputra to splice her genes into the ovarian
cultures that were intended for Athos. Terrence had planned to also
emigrate to Athos with the cultures, but had been delayed on his way
to Kline Station, and is now horrified to learn that the cultures
were stolen.
The
Cetagandans had tracked Terrence to Jackson's Whole; arriving after
his departure, they killed the Bharaputra researchers who had worked
with him and destroyed their records. They then traced the tissue
shipment to Kline Station, knowing Terrence would eventually come for
it, though they have no knowledge of what happened to the original
cultures and are desperate to reclaim them. Elli and Ethan manage to
have the Cetagandans seized by Kline Station security, just as they
discover that a minor official at the station had, for petty personal
reasons, "thrown out" the Bharaputran tissue cultures that
contained Janine's genes and replaced them with the useless
biological material. Elli attempts to recruit Terrence for the
Dendarii; he refuses, but gives Elli a small genetic sample.
Meanwhile, Ethan asks Elli for (and receives) one of her ovaries to
create a new tissue culture. After her departure, the original
Bharaputran shipment unexpectedly turns up intact and usable, not
destroyed. Ethan buys a new set of ovarian cultures from Beta Colony
anyway as a cover, uses their packaging to relabel the cultures with
Janine's genes, and returns with them and Terrence to Athos.
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Title: A Rainbow to Heaven DNF@21% Series: ----- Author: Barbara Cartland Rating: 1.5 of 5 Stars Genre: Romance Pages: 134 / 28 Words: 52K / 11K Publish: 1934
Chapter 1
We are introduced to our heroine, Diana Headley, as she prepares to go to a party. We learn that she's a thorough socialite but well off and sought after by the newspapers to have her picture taken. At the same time we're reassured she's not a vapid, empty headed numpkin but a woman of taste and talent, albeit one who is fast approaching that line of "tired" that overtakes many in the upperclasses.
We are also introduced to Lord Hugo Dalk, a 37 year old Lord who is independently wealthy and has decided that Diana is the woman for him. They get along well, like a pair of friends and Diana doesn't appear that she wants more than that, as something deep inside doesn't feel that Dalk is the one. Yet Dalk proposes to her in a casual, off hand manner that seems to imply he at least feels they are the only ones worthy of the other.
We also meet the hosts of the party, the Schnibers. They come from new money, as Mr Schniber made his fortune in "hooks and eyes", so I'm guessing women's undergarments? He's not comfortable nor are his wife and daughter, but they so want to be part of the "crowd" that even throwing a society party for complete strangers is not out of bounds.
The contrast between Diana, Hugo and Mr Schniber is well sketched. Diana is a worldly woman but not yet taken over by ennui. Hugo has all the hallmarks of a socialite bored with life itself while Schniber is the prototypical "country bumpkin", wide eyed and convinced all the socialites are better people than he.
Chapter 2
Diana doesn't want to deal with Hugo's proposal. She's very attracted to him but is contrary enough to not want him out of hand. She comes across some old friends, the Standish's and finagles a visit down to their home, thus giving her space and time from Hugo. Hugo is understandably upset but self-centered enough to think Diana will say yes eventually.
The Standish's introduce us to Barry Dunbar, "one of the most brilliant men" the Standish's have ever met as well as being "one of the greatest young intellects in Europe today." He's deep into Eastern mysticism and spends his days seeking out old scrolls to bring them to the eyes of Europe. Barry is convinced that Eastern Mysticism is the key to the spiritual salvation of Europe. We find out that the Standish's have given a part of their home over to Barry and he runs it like a tyrant, ie, his rules, his way. They admire him so much that they give way on everything.
Diana heads down to Standish Castle, still wondering why she hasn't accepted Hugo's proposal. Lots of garbage is thrown around but it amounts to "I just don't want to, so there".
I am not liking Barry from the get-go. Hugo is an arrogant ass, but I understand him. Barry is all second hand introduction and the way the Standishes fawn over him makes me sick. Plus, anyone who thinks that Eastern Mysticism is going to solve any problems is about as empty and shallow as possible. It's a new bauble, that is all and they are entranced by the shininess of it. I despise people like that.
Chapter 3
We start out with a background sketch of how Mrs Standish became Mrs Standish and how fulfilled she is now that she is married to Jack Standish. This gives her "spiritual" weight so her thoughts and pronouncements about and to Diana aren't just the blatherings of a busybody. But they are. Mrs Standish is presented as a "good person" because she tries to help others. This excuses any behavior by her, because "she is a good person". Then we get some more secondhand Barry praise and how deeply spiritual and philosophical he is, thus ALSO making him "a good person".
Diana meets Barry at dinner and is impressed that he's not a society bore and a shallow jackass (my words obviously) like her other acquaintances. Barry "only talks about important things" and this also impresses Diana while at the same time making her feel her inferiority, to which feeling she is not used to. After dinner Barry and Diana have a little one on one talk and Barry makes it quite clear that he considers her and her kind the bane of England and the beginning of the end for England's greatness.
This is a shallow romance and it touches on theology and philosophy, but sadly, in the same trite, pathetic and non-thinking way that it deals with romance. You do not treat theology that way. Theology, whether you like it or not, is what sets the boundaries of your world and defines everything you do for your whole life.
I should not have chosen this book. It was a big mistake considering how high of a regard I hold my theology in. I felt like Cartland spit in my face and then wondered what the big fuss was about. I am dnf'ing this now and this is my review. I sincerely apologize to anyone else who chose to read this and thought there would be several more weeks of lighthearted fun to be had. To expiate my literary sins, I will now commit seppuku, the practice of which people like Barry Dunbar are apparently fully in favor of. So screw that. I’m seppuku’ing Barry Dunbar. That’s him under the motorcycle helmet, not me!
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Title:
Tower Lord Series: A Raven’s Shadow
#2 Author: Anthony Ryan Rating: 1 of 5
Stars DNF@74% Genre: Fantasy Pages:
638 / 471 Words: 239K / 176K Publish: 2014
Due
to some of the moral subject matters brought up in this story, I
decided to dnf this book and to add Ryan to my list of authors to
avoid in the future. I am leaving the synopsis unhidden so this post isn't just 5 words long :-/
★☆☆☆☆
From
Fandom.com
The
book follows four POV characters, each with their own separate plot
lines that overlap and interweave to tell the story: Vaelin Al
Sorna, Frentis, Princess Lyrna Al Nieren, and new
character Reva Mustor. The chapters are divided into sections,
each proceeded by a first person narrative recounting from Lord
Verniers, the Alpiran Imperial Chronicler (much like Blood Song).
Lord Verniers is in the captivity of a high-ranking Volarian noble,
who commands the army attacking Alltor, and his wife.
Vaelin returns
to the Realm determined to reunite with his sister and find his lost
brother Frentis. After he disembarks from a ship, presumably from the
Alpiran Empire, he encounters Reva, who is given the task of
retrieving the sword of the deceased Trueblade, her father Hentes
Mustor. Reva detests him at first, but gradually accepts his
companionship and training when Vaelin tells her he knows where the
sword can be found. She is confused as to why he trains her when she
plans to kill him, but the blood song tells him it will be necessary
later. They travel together until by complete happenstance, they meet
Vaelin's old sergeant turned traveling minstrel Janril Norin and his
wife, Ellora. They eventually reach Varinshold, where Vaelin finds
his sister Alornis and Alucius Al Hestian, a former soldier and
companion to Princess Lyrna, residing in his family's old run-down
estate.
Vaelin
attempted to keep his return to the realm a secret until this point,
but he has no choice but to reveal his identity to petition for his
sister and their family estate. He meets with King Malcius and his
queen, who apparently is not of the Faith, and swears his loyalty to
them. He requests the opportunity to search for Brother Frentis,
however the well-meaning but weak King Malcius Al Nieren has
other ideas, and appoints him Tower Lord of the Northern
Reaches. Vaelin is initially tempted to refuse, but the blood song
tells him to accept. After he consults with Alornis' master, the
famed artist Master Lenial, and brief meetings with Brother Caenis
(now Brother Commander), Aspect Tendris al Forne and Aspect Arlyn,
they depart for the North, much to the reluctance of Alornis. Along
the way, Vaelin reveals the truth about the Trueblade's sword to
Reva, telling her he doesn't know where the sword is. He tries to
convince her to leave her old ways and join them as a true friend and
sister, but her internal conflict overpowers her and she flees, now
armed with great skill in combat due to Vaelin's training. Alornis,
who grew fond of Reva, is upset about this, but Vaelin soothes over
her anger by telling her his complete history, including the details
of his blood song and how it instructed him to let her go. In the
north, Vaelin proves himself a peacemaker among the many Dark gifted
people, despite his reputation and their initial uncertainty and
hostility towards him.
We
follow Princess Lyrna on her journey as an ambassador to
the High Priestess of the Lonak. Her journey opens her
eyes to many things, she meets a minion of the One Who
Waits and finally finds proof that the Dark exists.
However, she has countless more new questions than answers.
Reva,
the orphaned daughter of the Trueblade, has been pushed to seek
revenge for her father’s death, but after an encounter with Vaelin
she begins to question many facts about her life. When she foils an
assassination attempt on her estranged uncle, the Fief Lord
of Cumbrael, she finally breaks from her past, and finds a
family and a future as heir to the Fief Lord.
And
finally, Frentis is in fact alive, and finds himself
magically enslaved by a mysterious woman on an
assassination spree all across the world in preparation for a dark
purpose. The purpose is finally revealed when Frentis’s journey
ends in the Unified Realm where he is forced to kill King
Malcius, triggering the massive invasion of the Realm by the Volarian
Empire.
Vaelin learns
of the invasion from his Blood Song, and gathers an eclectic
army of North Guards, some gifted
northerners, Eorhil horsemen, Seordah warriors,
the remnants of the Realm Guard, and his old friends and former
brothers Caenis and Nortah.
Meanwhile, Princess
Lyrna is taken captive by the Volarians like many of her people,
but no one knows who she is because her face was badly burned during
the initial attack. Thanks to her shrewdness and intelligence, and a
surprisingly friendly shark, she escapes to the Meldenean
Islands, where she and the Shield destroy the Volarian
fleet.
At
last Frentis has escaped his magical enslavement, and
fights a desperate guerrilla war against the Volarians, during which
he finally learns who is the mysterious Aspect of
the Seventh Order.
The
action culminates at the siege of the Cumbraelin capital Alltor,
where Reva fights a desperate defence of the city against
the Volarian host. Just as Alltor seems lost, Vaelin and his host,
and Princess Lyrna and her Meldenean fleet, arrive and crush the
Volarians.
As she walks ashore after the
victory, Princess Lyrna is recognised as the new Queen of the Unified
Realm. Now all she needs to do is free Asreal from the enemy, deal
with the traitorous Renfaelins, and ultimately destroy the
Volarian Empire and their ally the One Who Waits. At her side
will be the ultimate warrior Vaelin Al Sorna, although he seems to
have lost his Blood Song. What could possibly go wrong?
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Title:
Rise of the Warrior Cop Series:
(Non-Fiction) Author: Radley Balko Rating:
1 of 5 Stars DNF@63% Genre: Non-Fiction Pages:
459 / 290 Words: 176K / 111K Publish:
2021
(updated)
When
the author apologized for his whiteness and his editor’s whiteness
in the “updated” introduction, I knew this was going to be a
rough read. When the author made it clear that he wanted to legalize
marijuana on a national scale and claimed that there were no harmful
side effects to using it, the ride got rougher. When the author used
personal attacks against one political party for doing something,
then softballed the other political party when they did the exact
same thing, it became Defcon 6. Finally, the ride went straight off a
1,000 foot waterfall when he claimed that ecstasy was harmless and
that doctors who “over-prescribed” opioids were victims of a
federal government witch hunt.
With
all of that, I simply cannot trust ANYTHING he writes about in the
book. You and I, as readers, don’t get to pick and choose what we
want from an author when he makes it obvious he isn’t telling the
truth. He’s either lying his little political ass off, or he isn’t.
Balko
made it plain that he is a druggee and lying sack of politically
filled bullshit. Which is just too bad because I was looking forward
to reading on this subject.
What
makes it even worse, personally, is that this is my THIRD dnf in the
last two weeks. I have got to start picking out my books better than
this. My monthly average rating is going to tank at this rate :-(
★☆☆☆☆
From
the Publisher
The
last days of colonialism taught America’s revolutionaries that
soldiers in the streets bring conflict and tyranny. As a result, our
country has generally worked to keep the military out of law
enforcement. But according to investigative reporter Radley Balko,
over the last several decades, America’s cops have increasingly
come to resemble ground troops. The consequences have been dire: the
home is no longer a place of sanctuary, the Fourth Amendment has been
gutted, and police today have been conditioned to see the citizens
they serve as an other—an enemy.
Today’s armored-up
policemen are a far cry from the constables of early America. The
unrest of the 1960s brought about the invention of the SWAT
unit—which in turn led to the debut of military tactics in the
ranks of police officers. Nixon’s War on Drugs, Reagan’s War on
Poverty, Clinton’s COPS program, the post–9/11 security state
under Bush and Obama: by degrees, each of these innovations expanded
and empowered police forces, always at the expense of civil
liberties. And these are just four among a slew of reckless
programs.
In Rise of the Warrior Cop, Balko shows how
politicians’ ill-considered policies and relentless declarations of
war against vague enemies like crime, drugs, and terror have blurred
the distinction between cop and soldier. His fascinating, frightening
narrative shows how over a generation, a creeping battlefield
mentality has isolated and alienated American police officers and put
them on a collision course with the values of a free society.
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Title:
The Resolve of Immortal Flesh Series:
Collision #1 Author: Rich Colburn Rating:
2 of 5 Stars DNF@45% Genre: Thriller Pages:
543 / 242 Words: 212K / 95K Publish:
2016
I
really tried to give this book the benefit of the doubt, mainly
because it had been recommended to me in the Book
Recommendations V post. However, the guy who wrote this made that
impossible. He’s a bad writer with a terrible sense of pacing, an
ego that demands he blather on and on about his pet philosophy and
the lack of ability to write realistic characters that are more than
cardboard.
This
should have been a 300 page book, tops. But we spend an inordinate
amount of time following the main character as he grows up in a
broken home with insane parents. Things randomly happen with no
apparent connection. The main character is also an asshole. I’d
have gladly chopped his self-centered head off with my Tool
of the Trade.
This
is bad writing by a bad writer and I’m glad to see that he hasn’t
churned out any more trash after 2017 when he put out the sequel to
this book. Harsh, yes, but writers like this guy are polluting the
literary landscapes like microplastics are polluting our water
supply. They should be ashamed of putting out such sub-par garbage.
They aren’t skilled enough and they are also teaching a whole
generation of readers to accept writing that isn’t good. I’m
going to stop there before I start talking about their “special”
place in the afterlife :-(
★★☆☆☆
From
the writer
What
if the spirit world was rampant with technology sophisticated beyond
anything mankind
has imagined?
What if a sociopath got his
hands on a powerful piece of this technology?
What if you
couldn’t die no matter how much damage your body sustained?
Join
a reluctant hero on his quest to discover what the heck he should do
with his time now that he has unlimited power and the world as he
knew it collides with the “unseen” world. Will demon-possessed
biomechanical monsters kill everyone? Will there be enough coffee to
last through to the end of the world? Will that play into our hero’s
decision whether or not to bother saving it? These are questions
we’ve all wondered about. Explore these and other important
philosophical questions as you follow the adventure that was
contrived to do just that.
On
a more serous note:
The Collision series offers a technological
explanation for the supernatural. Human psychology, questions of life
and death, and the nature of the supernatural play a critical role in
the story of a man who becomes aware of the technology used by beings
existing in higher modes of reality. The story is filled with
humorous situations and comments, fantasy machines, and philosophical
discussion.
The target audience is young adult to adult. The
book does include some supernatural horror and some violence.
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Title:
Tech-Priest Series: Warhammer 40K: Adeptus
Mechanicus Author: Rob Sanders Rating:
1.5 of 5 Stars / DNF@40% Genre: SF Pages: 152
/ 60 Words: 54K / 22K Publish: 2015
I
DNF’d this at 40%. I just couldn’t take any more. It was more
like a novel length advertisement for various models of the Adeptus
Mechanicus for the miniatures game of Warhammer 40K instead of being
a real novel. Each unit type was described down to an excruciating
detail, which would only interest those who are playing them.
Also,
and an even bigger issue for me, was how much this played out like a
gaming scenario run by two teenagers. Battles happened without any
strategy or forethought or repercussions. And then the next battle
would happen and nothing from the previous battle would be
incorporated into it, even though it really should have. There was no
indication that the Tech-Priest who was the main character of this
novel had actually ever fought a real life battle before. Even though
according to his history, he was a great fighter and his explorer
fleet had killed lots and lots of xenos and mutants and warp
creatures. Zero Indication here of any of that experience. So I just
quit.
Dave
had been struggling with Skitarius
(the book right before this one)
and Mark listened to Tech-Priest
on audio and was not impressed. So I guess this buddy-read showed us
that this duology was not a good one. No idea if it was the author
himself or the limits placed on him, but I’ll be a lot more careful
if I ever see “Rob Sanders” on another WH40K book I’m
interested in. Blehhhhhhh…
I
am going to include the large cover, but only because I included it
for Skitarius, not
because I actually care.
★✬☆☆☆
From
the Publisher:
The
disciples of the Machine God, the Cult Mechanicus are
on the front line of the Quest for Knowledge. Tech-priests lead
their forces of augmented warriors and battle-automata into battle
with the Omnissiah's foes in defence of His
secrets. Magos-Explorator Omnid Torquora orchestrates
war against the Iron Warriors for control of a
long-lost forge world. With skitarii legions and
maniples of battle-servitors and robots at his command - not to
mention the mighty god-machines of the Titan Legions -
victory is within his grasp... until treachery threatens to end his
dreams of conquest.
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Title:
Lavondyss / DNF Series: Mythago Wood
#2 Author: Robert Holdstock Rating: 2
of 5 Stars Genre: Fantasy Pages:
200/325 Words: 84K/137K Publish: 1988
I
wasn’t particularly enjoying this read but wasn’t really hating
it either, so I guess I was coasting along, being lazy.
Then
one of the characters says to another something along the lines of
“Now you’re just talking nonsense” and it suddenly hit me, this
entire book is nonsense and the WHOLE idea by Holdstock is nonsense
and so I just stopped reading without further ado.
I
was wasting my time on utter nonsense and when I realized that, I
stopped. Not as good as not starting the nonsense in the first place,
but much better than continuing it to the end and allowing it to
infest my mind, even if negatively. I’m also giving this book the
“garbage” tag because it’s not fun nonsense :-(
The
cover is awesome however. I would have picked this book up based on
it alone. It’s a real shame such garbage is hiding inside.
★★☆☆☆
From
Wikipedia
During
her formative years, Tallis encounters the British composer Ralph
Vaughan Williams (not a mythago, but real flesh and blood).
Tallis sings him a song that she thinks she has made up herself, but
the composer identifies its tune as that of a folk
song he has collected personally in Norfolk.
Slowly Tallis's links with the wood intensify. She makes
ten chthonic wooden
masks, each of which represents one of the ten first legends in
Ryhope wood. Within the context of the story, these masks
are talismans that
help to engage certain parts of her subconscious and so link her with
the characters and landscapes which are forming within the wood. When
properly used (especially later in the book), these masks allow
Tallis to see things that cannot be seen without them, and they can
also be used to create 'Hollowings' — pathways in space and time
which allow her to step into far-off places within the wood which
would otherwise take days, weeks, or even months to travel to on
foot. Tallis makes the masks in the following order:
The
Hollower — made from elm, this female mask is painted red and
white.
Gaberlungi
— made from oak and painted white, this mask is known as "memory
of the land".
Skogen
— made from hazel and painted green, this mask is known as "shadow
of the forest".
Lament
— made from willow bark, this simple mask is painted gray.
Falkenna
— the first of three journey masks is painted like a hawk; this
mask is known as "the flight of a bird into an unknown region".
Silvering
— the second of three journey masks is painted in colored circles;
this mask is known as "the movement of a salmon into the rivers
of an unknown region". The Silvering is also the name
of a short story included in Merlin's
Wood.
Cunhaval
— the third of three journey masks is made from elder wood; this
mask is known as "the running of a hunting dog through the
forest tracks of an unknown region".
Moondream
— made from beechwood, this mask is painted with moon symbols on
its face. This mask plays a prominent role in The
Hollowing.
Sinisalo
— made from wych elm and painted white and azure, this mask is
known as "seeing the child in the land".
Morndun
— this mask appears dead from the front, but alive from behind and
is known as "the first journey of a ghost into an unknown
region".
Before
setting foot in the wood, Tallis has one particular encounter that
has major repercussions through the rest of the story: with the
'help' of one of the mythagos, she 'hollows' (creates a Hollowing)
and observes Scathach, a young warrior, dying on a battlefield
beneath a tree. Tallis' misdirected magic used to help this young
warrior changes both her story and Harry Keeton's story in Ryhope
wood.
Deep
within Ryhope wood Tallis eventually meets up with Edward Wynne-Jones
(human, not mythago) who was only mentioned in Mythago Wood. He
is now living in the wood as a shaman to
a small village of ancient people. Through his understanding of the
wood (which he studied with the scientist George Huxley from the
first book), Tallis herself gains an understanding of her connections
with all that surrounds her; most importantly, she asks him how she
might find her lost brother Harry Keeton
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Title:
The Tide of Unmaking Series: The Berinfell
Prophecies #3 Author: Wayne Batson & Christopher
Hopper Rating: 1.5 of 5 Stars Genre:
Middle Grade Fantasy Pages: 349/60 Words:
139K/24K Publish: 2012
I
dnf’d this at 60 pages because while seven years have passed and
characters are now turning 21, they are still acting like 14 year
olds and being written as such. My patience for that was stretched in
book 2 and so I’m just done. There is no reason for me to continue
:-(
★✬☆☆☆
From
the Publisher
Seven
years have passed since the Lords of Berinfell - Tommy, Kat, Jimmy,
Johnny, Autumn and Kiri Lee - watched the horror of Vesper Crag wash
away, as well as their fallen kinsman, Jett Green. But with
Grimwarden in exile, the realm of Berinfell finds itself ill-equipped
to weather the coming storms. Kiri Lee begins to whisper of ghostly
visitations. Taeva, Princess of the Taladrim, desperately seeks out
the Elves of Berinfell to rescue her kingdom. And the genocidal
Drefid Lord Asp launches his campaign to conquer Allyra. And Earth.
But far worse still is a consuming terror on the horizon: an
unstoppable force that threatens to devour all creation and all hope.
Nations will crumble, loyalties will be tested, and even the might of
Berinfell’s Lords may not be enough to stem The Tide of Unmaking.
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Title:
City of Stairs Series: The Divine Cities
#1 Author: Robert Bennett Rating: 1 of
5 Stars Genre: Fantasy Pages:
88/464 Words: 28K/148K Publish: 2014
Due
to the inclusion of certain subject matters, I am dnf’ing this book
and will not be reading any more by Bennett.
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Title: Notes from Underground Series: (The Russians) Author: Fyodor Dostoyevsky Translator: Garnett Rating: 1 of 5 Stars / DNF@10% Genre: Fiction Pages: 186/19 Words: 50K/5K
I cannot stand when authors write nonsense and expect the readers to parse sense out of it. Dostoyevsky was writing this novel in response to some other popular philosophy book/idea at the time but he couched it in a way that I hated.
So I’m not going to waste my time wading through deliberate nonsense when he could have just stated “Reason X because of reasons 1, 2 and 3”. I dnf’d this at the 10% mark when it became evident what a sham this was. If you would like to waste your time deciphering this, be my guest.
★☆☆☆☆
From Wikipedia.org
The novella is divided into two parts. The title of the first part—”Underground”—is itself given a footnoted introduction by Dostoevsky in which the character of the ‘author’ of the Notes and the nature of the ‘excerpts’ are discussed.
Part 1: “Underground”
The first part of Notes from Underground has eleven sections:
Section I propounds a number of riddles whose meanings are further developed as the narration continues.
Sections 2, 3, & 4 deal with suffering and the irrational pleasure of suffering.
Sections 5 & 6 discuss the moral and intellectual fluctuation that the narrator feels along with his conscious insecurities regarding “inertia”—inaction.
Sections 7, 8, & 9 cover theories of reason and logic, closing with the last two sections as a summary and transition into Part 2.
The narrator observes that utopian society removes suffering and pain, but man desires both things and needs them in order to be happy. He argues that removing pain and suffering in society takes away a man’s freedom. He says that the cruelty of society makes human beings moan about pain only to spread their suffering to others.
Unlike most people, who typically act out of revenge because they believe justice is the end, the Underground Man is conscious of his problems and feels the desire for revenge, but he does not find it virtuous; the incongruity leads to spite towards the act itself with its concomitant circumstances. He feels that others like him exist, but he continuously concentrates on his spitefulness instead of on actions that would help him avoid the problems that torment him. The main issue for the Underground Man is that he has reached a point of ennui[7] (boredom) and inactivity.[8] He even admits that he would rather be inactive out of laziness.
The first part also gives a harsh criticism of determinism, as well as of intellectual attempts at dictating human action and behavior by logic, which the Underground Man discusses in terms of the simple math problem: two times two makes four (cf. necessitarianism). He argues that despite humanity’s attempt to create a utopia where everyone lives in harmony (symbolized by The Crystal Palace in Nikolai Chernyshevsky’s What Is to Be Done?), one cannot avoid the simple fact that anyone, at any time, can decide to act in a way that might not be considered to be in their own self-interest; some will do so simply to validate their existence and to protest and confirm that they exist as individuals. The Underground Man ridicules the type of enlightened self-interest that Chernyshevsky proposes as the foundation of Utopian society. The idea of cultural and legislative systems relying on this rational egoism is what the protagonist despises. The Underground Man embraces this ideal in praxis, and seems to blame it for his current state of unhappiness.[9]
Part 2: “Apropos of the Wet Snow”[edit]
The title of Part 2 is an allusion to the critic Pavel Annenkov’s observation that “damp showers and wet snow” were indispensable to writers of the Natural School in Petersburg.[10] Following the title there is an epigraph containing the opening lines from Nekrasov’s poem “When from the darkness of delusion…” about a woman driven to prostitution by poverty. The quotation is interrupted by an ellipsis and the words “Etc., etc., etc.”[10]
Part 2 consists of ten sections covering some events from the narrator’s life. While he continues in his self-conscious, polemical style, the themes of his confession are now developed anecdotally.
The first section tells of the Underground Man’s obsession with an officer who once insulted him in a pub. This officer frequently passes him by on the street, seemingly without noticing his existence. He sees the officer on the street and thinks of ways to take revenge, eventually borrowing money to buy an expensive overcoat and intentionally bumping into the officer to assert his equality. To the Underground Man’s surprise, however, the officer does not seem to notice that it even happened.
Sections II to V focus on a going-away dinner party with some old school friends to bid farewell to one of these friends—Zverkov—who is being transferred out of the city. The Underground Man hated them when he was younger, but after a random visit to Simonov’s, he decides to meet them at the appointed location. They fail to tell him that the time has been changed to six instead of five, so he arrives early. He gets into an argument with the four of them after a short time, declaring to all his hatred of society and using them as the symbol of it. At the end, they go off without him to a secret brothel, and, in his rage, the underground man follows them there to confront Zverkov once and for all, regardless if he is beaten or not. He arrives at the brothel to find Zverkov and the others already retired with prostitutes to other rooms. He then encounters Liza, a young prostitute.
The remaining sections deal with his encounter with Liza and its repercussions. The story cuts to Liza and the Underground Man lying silently in the dark together. The Underground Man confronts Liza with an image of her future, by which she is unmoved at first, but after challenging her individual utopian dreams (similar to his ridicule of the Crystal Palace in Part 1), she eventually realizes the plight of her position and how she will slowly become useless and will descend more and more, until she is no longer wanted by anyone. The thought of dying such a terribly disgraceful death brings her to realize her position, and she then finds herself enthralled by the Underground Man’s seemingly poignant grasp of the destructive nature of society. He gives her his address and leaves.
He is subsequently overcome by the fear of her actually arriving at his dilapidated apartment after appearing such a “hero” to her and, in the middle of an argument with his servant, she arrives. He then curses her and takes back everything he said to her, saying he was, in fact, laughing at her and reiterates the truth of her miserable position. Near the end of his painful rage he wells up in tears after saying that he was only seeking to have power over her and a desire to humiliate her. He begins to criticize himself and states that he is in fact horrified by his own poverty and embarrassed by his situation. Liza realizes how pitiful he is and tenderly embraces him. The Underground Man cries out “They—they won’t let me—I—I can’t be good!”
After all this, he still acts terribly toward her, and, before she leaves, he stuffs a five ruble note into her hand, which she throws onto the table (it is implied that the Underground Man had sex with Liza and that the note is payment). He tries to catch her as she goes out to the street, but he cannot find her and never hears from her again. He tries to stop the pain in his heart by “fantasizing.”
And isn’t it better, won’t it be better?… Insult—after all, it’s a purification; it’s the most caustic, painful consciousness! Only tomorrow I would have defiled her soul and wearied her heart. But now the insult will never ever die within her, and however repulsive the filth that awaits her, the insult will elevate her, it will cleanse her…
He recalls this moment as making him unhappy whenever he thinks of it, yet again proving the fact from the first section that his spite for society and his inability to act makes him no better than those he supposedly despises.
The concluding sentences recall some of the themes explored in the first part, and he tells the reader directly, “I have merely carried to an extreme in my life what you have not dared to carry even halfway.”
At the end of Part 2, a further editorial note is added by Dostoevsky, indicating that the ‘author’ couldn’t help himself and kept writing, but that “it seems to us that we might as well stop here”.
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Title: The Woman in White Series: ———- Author: Wilkie Collins Rating: 1 of 5 Stars / DNF@10% Genre: Fiction Pages: 900 / 90 Words: 246K / 25K
If you read the synopsis down below, you’ll see this sounds like a great story and I would fully agree with you.
But Collins writing and his choice of characters is beyond what I can stand. Hartright is another young spineless jellyfish and the prose is purple enough that I immediately thought of The Boy and the Peddler of Death, a book I excoriated back in ‘15. There was NO WAY I was going to force myself to read 810 more pages of this drivel.
This one star rating is not for the story at all. I almost feel bad in fact because I think the story could have been really interesting and something I would have loved. But this Rating is Bookstooge’s Final Judgement on Wilkie Collins. He has been judged, found wanting and I assign him to the dreaded Authors to Avoid limbo where he will languish until I die, knowing he was a complete failure. Writhe in agony you miserable excrescence on the literary world, for one day you will be completely forgotten and nobody will have to suffer dealing with your complete tripe anymore.
★☆☆☆☆ DNF@10%
From Wilkie-Collins.info
Click to Open
Walter Hartright, a young drawing master, has secured a position in Cumberland on the recommendation of his old friend Professor Pesca, a political refugee from Italy. While walking home from Hampstead on his last evening in London, Hartright meets a mysterious woman dressed in white, apparently in deep distress. He helps her on her way but later learns that she has escaped from an asylum. The next day he travels north to Limmeridge House. The household comprises Mr Frederick Fairlie, a reclusive valetudinarian; Laura Fairlie, his niece; and Marian Halcombe, her devoted half-sister. Hartright finds that Laura bears an astonishing resemblance to the woman in white, called Anne Catherick. The simple-minded Anne had lived for a time in Cumberland as a child and was devoted to Laura’s mother, who first dressed her in white.
Hartright and Laura fall in love. Laura, however, has promised her late father that she will marry Sir Percival Glyde, and Marian advises Walter to leave Limmeridge. Anne Catherick, after sending a letter to Laura warning her against Glyde, meets Hartright who is convinced that Glyde was responsible for shutting her in the asylum. Laura and Glyde marry in December 1849 and travel to Italy. Hartright also leaves England, joining an expedition to Honduras.
After their honeymoon, Sir Percival and Lady Glyde return the following June to his family estate in Hampshire, Blackwater Park. They are accompanied by Glyde’s friend, Count Fosco, who married Laura’s aunt, Eleanor Fairlie. Marian Halcombe is also living at Blackwater and learns that Glyde is in financial difficulties. Sir Percival unsuccessfully attempts to bully Laura into signing a document which would allow him to use her marriage settlement of £20,000. Marian now realises that Fosco is the true villain and is plotting something more sinister, especially as Anne has reappeared, promising to reveal to Laura a secret which will ruin Glyde. Marian eavesdrops on Fosco and Glyde but is caught in the rain. She collapses with a fever which turns to typhus. While she is ill Laura is tricked into travelling to London. Her identity and that of Anne Catherick are then switched. Anne Catherick dies of a heart condition and is buried in Cumberland as Laura, while Laura is drugged and placed in the asylum as Anne Catherick. When Marian recovers and visits the asylum hoping to learn something from Anne Catherick, she finds Laura, supposedly suffering from the delusion that she is Lady Glyde.
Marian bribes the attendant and Laura escapes. Hartright has safely returned and the three live together in obscure poverty, determined to restore Laura’s identity. Exposing the conspiracy depends on proving that Laura’s journey to London took place after the date on the death certificate. While looking for evidence, Hartright discovers Glyde’s secret. Several years earlier, Glyde had forged the marriage register at Old Welmingham Church to conceal his illegitimacy. Glyde attempts to destroy the register entry, but the church vestry catches fire and he perishes in the flames. Hartright then discovers that Anne was the illegitimate child of Laura’s father, which accounts for their resemblance.
Hartright hopes that Pesca can identify Fosco but to his surprise finds that the Count is terrified when he recognises Pesca as a fellow member of a secret society. Hartright now has the power to force a written confession from Fosco and Laura’s identity is restored. Hartright and Laura have married and, on the death of Frederick Fairlie, their son becomes the Heir of Limmeridge.
