Fun, engaging read, but lacks real character development, plot complexity, or interesting villains.
Exposition is a terrible thing in an otherwise novel story.
So the first 3/4 was boring. Really boring. And then my favorite characters were generally mishandled. And oh boy did I ever hate that ending.
Never one of my favorite characters in Firefly, but I absolutely loved this! The unusual narrative style (reverse chronology tied together by phrases) and fascinating character development made it nearly perfect.
I love the world and I love the characters. The nations, cultures, magic, and technology have a variety and complexity that is rare in the fantasy genre. Moreover, the depth of the characters given how many there are is truly remarkable. That being said, this is not a particularly good book. It moves at a snail's pace that drags on for 1000 pages, and many themes are beaten to death to compensate for the lack of plot development. This book could have been cut down to half the length and been twice as good for it. Because of that, I cannot recommend it except to ardent (no pun intended) fans of the Stormlight Archive.
Fun, engrossing, witty read the whole way through. Surprisingly dark plot though.
Ok book. Slow beginning, nothing interesting happens till the second half, but still enjoyable.
Interesting, but not terrific. A lot of characters to keep track of. Miss Marple is rarely seen.
(Update) On a second read, I found many more nuances to the story to enjoy.
(Update) On a second read, I found many more nuances to the story to enjoy.
A slow start with a strong finish. Any scene with Wax and Wayne together is an instant classic
That was a FASCINATING book. A mix of Ender's Game and The Hunger Games with more of the depth and quality of the former. Continually and refreshingly unexpected.
This is perhaps not a 5 star book in itself, but the satisfactory completion of so many interesting character development arcs was a true delight.
3/5 rather than 4/5 only because it is a set-up book which introduces several questions and plot threads without resolving them. Presumably, that will be done in the next book, but personally, it’s not my favorite type of book. Besides that, classic Dresden: fast, gripping, clever, humorous, ... if you’ve made it this far in the series, then you know what I mean.
A 4-star book upgraded to 5 for the successful humanization of the mythology that has always fascinated me.
This would be a terrific book if all the protagonists weren’t active imbeciles.
Excellent book. It tells you all the right things to focus on for the AP test. It is particularly helpful on the multiple choice. I read the whole thing the night before a practice test and got 90% of the multiple choice right. Supplemented with practice tests, it is a great tool for studying. Loved it.
Miss Marple didn’t enter until the final chapter or two, and I frankly disliked the romance.
Youth and foolish dreams waxing wiser and truer with age. It’s good to be reminded of the former and given renewed hope and appreciation for the latter.