Tag: Book Review

Book review: Memory of Souls

This book was better than the last one. It is great to see the four volunteers together in this novel. Thurvishar is a phenomenal character, and I totally ship him and Senera.

Unlike book two, the story moves forward at a fast clip. That ending had me reach for book four immediately.

Like the first two books, this book is not for the faint-hearted. The world is immense, the cast is massive, everything is interconnected, and most of us cannot remember that many things. Don’t worry if you don’t remember who the dragons are related to or what their cornerstones are, etc. Just enjoy the ride.

Book Review: Name of All Things

In the continuation of this epic tale, “Name of All Things” whisks us away to the captivating realms of Jorat and Janel. The appearance of dragons adds a thrilling dimension. Similar to its predecessor, the narrative introduces a myriad of characters, demanding either a keen memory or an easy-going spirit when you lose track of what Tya is the guardian of.

The story, predominantly relayed through flashbacks, flows serially, making it easier to follow.

The introduction of Qown, the Vishai priest, and Senera enriches the already extensive cast, and the inclusion of footnotes by the narrator adds an extra layer of enjoyment.

The author’s ability to weave a complex, interwoven narrative continues to impress me. While the majority of the novel aligns with the timeline of the first book, the plot takes a significant leap forward toward the conclusion. For enthusiasts of epic fantasy, this installment holds a plethora of delights.

One minor critique pertains to the cultural norms of Jorat, where effective rulers are expected to embody predominantly male qualities. I do wish that feminine attributes like empathy, compassion, and the possession of a kind heart were not looked down upon.

You can read my review of the first book here.

I loved this book

Robin Hobb is my favorite fantasy author, and Jenn Lyons is now a very close second.

The Ruin of Kings is complex, rich, and completely enthralling. What an amazing world this author has built.

Kihrin is the protagonist. At the start of the story, he is a captive. The events leading up to his capture are narrated by his guard and Kihrin. I really enjoyed the alternate timelines between the chapters. And the footnotes by our scribe provide some colorful context, so don’t skip reading those.

When Kihrin goes to rob a mansion, he witnesses two men and a demon torture another. As the demon comes calling, Kihrin has to flee. As his world is upended, Kihrin slowly learns why gods and demons are meddling in his life. And meddle they do. Throw in a few prophecies, and you cannot stop reading.

Brilliant twists and turns, a fantastic magic system, incredible weaving of multiple threads together, and wonderful characters make this a great read.

This book is for fantasy lovers who are not fazed by keeping track of a dozen main characters and a similar number of threads. I am off to read the next book in this series.

2023 in Books

Reading is my first love, and I have read 39 books so far this year. I am hoping to read one more to reach 40.

Some of my favorite books of this year in no particular order:

Half Gods by Akil Kumarasamy
The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams
Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall
Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr
Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
I read multiple books by Philippa Gregory, Andrzej Sapkowski, and Robin Hobb and thoroughly enjoyed them.

You can read all my reviews on Goodreads or my blog.

Book Review: Anxious People

(Mis)quoting Hermoine, if anyone thinks all men have the emotional range of a teaspoon, they have not read a book by Fredrik Backman.

Anxious people took me on a fantastic journey of human emotions. Like a lunatic, I laughed and cried over imaginary characters, never feeling better.

How does this author tug our hearts with simple words?

Some of my favorites without revealing any spoilers:

We never got past the first flush of infatuation

my heart broke into a dance at reading this line

The dialogue ending with “But she was your mom.”

encapsulates the wonderful family ties.

Jack and Jim, the two police officers: every scene between them was brilliant.

I wrote about two characters who plan to take their own lives in the War of the Three Kings. One does jump off a balcony, and the other doesn’t. Both their actions create ripples that touch all who have come in contact with them. Writing about suicide is hard, and Fredrik does it with a gentle touch while not shying away from digging deep into how it affects the living.

Go read this book. Fall in love with these characters. Let them break your heart and put it back together. All within the same paragraph.

Book Review: SciFi novel by a desi author

I finished reading Unearthing Idyll, debut SciFi novel by Dhara Parekh, and my first question is, when is book two coming out? I cannot wait to read what happens next.

I met the author at a local book event. After hearing about her book, I purchased a signed copy, excited to read a SciFi novel by a fellow desi author.

The story unfolds in the future. About 7,000 human beings live on an asteroid orbiting Earth. One of them, Lyra, wants to escape her home, where she feels caged in the small society.

Aryabh, a man born on Earth who finds no future on the planet, thwarts her efforts to travel there. The author serves a gourmet meal, one that should be savored slowly.

I loved Kenai and Sagan, able sidekicks to our main protagonists. The way Aryabh’s email to Lyra is spread throughout the chapters is a nice touch. Don’t miss the Earthler news sprinkled under the chapter heading.

The author explores what it means to be part of a community and how it shapes us. Most importantly, she has created a fantastic world and realistic characters. Looking forward to spending more time in her world.

Book Review: The Song of the Marked

This is the first book I am reading by S. M. Gaither, and I thoroughly enjoyed this fantasy novel.

Protagonist Cas survived fading sickness, an illness that killed nearly everyone else. The reason for her survival is a mystery, though the disease leaves its mark on her with her colorless hair and eyes.

She and her outlaw friends are returning from a mission when she meets Elander. Sparks fly between them.

Elander is the king’s captain and captures her in another encounter and seems intent on protecting her from the king. Cas, who is plenty capable of protecting herself, agrees to help the king find a way to cure fading sickness.

I loved all the world-building and the magic system. Powerful and mysterious God and Goddess are always a draw, and the author paints a dark and intricate picture of this empire.

The author peels the layer of mystery one by one, leaving the readers wanting more. The ending was a nice twist.

I enjoyed this book and looking forward to reading the other four books in the Shadows and Crown series.

Book review: Such a Fun Age

Kudos to the author for tackling the hard subject of race. Her light-hearted novel appears to be the perfect vehicle for introspection.

Emira is a black nanny for a white family. The story starts with an urgent call from her employer. The wife, Alix, wants Emira to babysit Briar late at night. Emira leaves the party she is at to take the toddler to a grocery store. At the store, a security guard detains Emira, concerned for the child. While Emira explains her side, Kelley, a white guy, films the encounter.

After setting the stage with this brilliant start, the book explores Emira and Alix’s story through the lens of race and class differences. I appreciate that there are several women of color in this tale, all with distinct characteristics.

Emira is content to babysit Bri, whom she adores. Bri, likewise, is attached to Emira. But Emira is fast approaching the age where she will lose health insurance through her parents, so she is worried about finding another job. However, Emira is not doing much beyond worrying. Tamra, a black superwoman with perfect children, is a perfect foil for our laid-back protagonist.

Alix, missing her life in NY as a self-help guru, decides to help Emira, though Emira never asks for it. Their dynamics is a great read.

Kelley befriends Emira and becomes her boyfriend. Nothing black and white about his motivations.

All the little moments in this story paint a vivid portrait of life in America.

The story is about our hidden prejudices and biases. Though we all have them, the biases of people in power affect us the most. I would definitely recommend this debut novel by Kiley Reid.

Book Review – Fool’s Fate

Fool’s Fate concludes the Tawny Man series, drawing in threads from the Farseer and Liveship Traders trilogy. I loved the book for the emotional roller coaster and the very satisfying end to Fitz’s story.

The best character out of this series is the Fool. From his riddles to his love for Fitz, the author draws him in such bright colors. He jumped out of the pages into my heart. I loved the poem he penned.

In that last dance of chances I shall partner you no more.

Fool

Chade, another character from the Farseer Trilogy, plays a prominent role in this series. The ease with which Fitz fits into his life at Buckkeep after a decade of absence is mainly due to his old mentor. I loved all the scenes between the master and the student, though their roles were reversed at times.

To quote Fitz: It pleased me that the author accorded Lady Patience the storytime she deserved.

The magic, while well thought out, does allow the author to get her characters out of tough situations without paying for their foolishness. In that one way, this series differs from the Farseer Trilogy. In that earlier series, folks paid a steep price for their mistakes. This series is all about second chances.

I loved the Keppet easter egg.

Robin Hobb is a master storyteller, and she did not disappoint me.

Book Review – Golden Fool

Golden Fool is better than Book 1 of the Tawny Man trilogy. I felt like a skill user drawn into the skill current, forgetting food and sleep. Only in my case, Robin Hobb’s magical storytelling pulled me into the book, and I could not rest till I finished it.

So far, Nettle has only appeared in Fitz’s dreams, and yet, the author paints her in beautiful colors in each scene.

Fitz and the Fool – their relationship is portrayed beautifully. The author squeezed my heart with this line:

I set no boundaries on my love.

Fool

And this line at the end broke me:

Beloved, I have missed your company.

Fitz

Dutiful and Fitz – The boy’s longing for a father and Fitz’s yearning to tell him the truth is sheer poetry. This line is a perfect illustration of that:

he spoke as a prince speaks to a servant, not as a boy would address his father.

Fitz

Robin Hobb is a master in character-driven fantasy. I cannot wait to read the conclusion to this trilogy.