Review: Elric of Melniboné

Elric of Melniboné by Michael Moorcock
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

For anyone who looks at the dates read can see it only took me two days to read this. Granted I rushed through it so I could be finished with it before my Christmas vacation, but I still couldn't wait to be done with it. It's not a long read, nor did I found it to be a particularly engaging one. It might be that the book hasn't aged well, but you'd think that a book that has around five million entries in its series, you'd think I would find something special about it. It's not bad, just surprisingly meh.

I think my turn off is that the tone of the book is grandiose without being grand. There's an unearned heart to the book that seems to believe you should hang on every word without those words actually being good. If that makes any damn sense. To be fair, I might not be explaining it well. I'd say you have to read it to maybe understand what I'm saying, but I wouldn't recommend that. Just take my word is that this is a book you can probably skip. Or you might have worse reads if you have literally nothing else to read for a couple of days.

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Review: The Burning God

The Burning God by R.F. Kuang
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Burning God is a perfectly serviceable ending to a trilogy I enjoyed overall. I'll outline my issues with it, but I still say this is a book series most need to read. While nothing eclipses the first book in terms of quality, this is not a typical book series that drops the ball after the first volume. If you've already read the first two books, you should at least be somewhat happy with the last edition.

Things like pacing, prose, and characters are still top-tier here. Flaws aside, TBG can at least maintain your attention. Not perfect, but also never boring. Being more of the same is both a blessing and a curse as what the same is also pretty good while not being surprising either.

I would say it has two big problems. First, it doesn't add anything new in terms of characterization or plot. It's roughly just a continuation of the previous book without many steps taken to outline a grander story. Two, the author more or less writes herself into a corner where the mangled bittersweet reminding-me-of-Game-of-Thrones-though-not-quite-as-bad is the only option left available. I know what the author is trying to say because she literally spells it out to the reader, but I felt there should have been a few more drafts on the table. At least she didn't go for a redemption arc. That would have been even worse.

Pet peeve: The epilogue isn't an epilogue, it's a conclusion to the unnecessarily abrupt ending of the last chapter. That's not what epilogues are for. Not being used properly is a big reason why I generally dislike prologues and epilogues.

I, admittedly, had this final volume on my 'To Read' list for a couple of years in between reading the second book. I can't help but think if I had read this closer to the last book I might have had a better opinion of it. But books, if nothing else, should last the test of time. I should put at least some onus on my memory, but it also shouldn't be completely to blame. I still liked it, just not as much as the first two.

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Review: The Seeds

The Seeds by Ann Nocenti
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I'll be honest, I only read this because the art was done by David Aja. After reading it though, I still can say it should only be read for the art. It's short though, so it won't take up too much of your time. I would like to see a quote like that in a follow-up printing of this book. It's badly written, but at least it's short.

There's not much praise to be had for this book. Even the primary reason, the art, isn't a strong contender. The art is good from a technical aspect but lacks any creativity I might have come to expect from David Aja. The art just felt dull and underutilized. Though, given the story he had to work with, I wouldn't blame him.

The writing here is just bad. Plain old-fashioned bad. People talk without much meaning behind their words as if they are having slightly different conversations. Or, to put it another way, it's as if one person is replying to a conversation that is taking place five minutes in the future while the other person is still in the present. Characters also randomly (and repeatedly) mention things meant for world-building but don't affect the story in any conceivable way. I know it's setting the scene and tone, but it's just so badly done.

There's also no real beginning or no real end to the story. And I mean that in a narrative sense. Plenty of great books begin and/or end in unresolved spots, but you can at least affirm that it was the beginning and/or end. This book just kind of begins and just kind of ends, as if the writer didn't care about it.

This review turned out longer than I had planned. I was just going to make a few notes and be on my way. Turns out I had some issues to get off my chest. I didn't care for this book if you couldn't tell by now. I fully recommend the works of David Aja, but there are much better examples than this.

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Review: Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting by in America

Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting by in America by Barbara Ehrenreich
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Socialists are middle class. The working class don't want a revolution, they just want more money.

Paraphrasing Alan Moore aside, I wouldn't say I 'enjoyed' this book. It's far too depressing for that. The reason being is because of how little has changed in previous decades. Not only since the book came out, but since before the book was even released. This book could have been released in the 1980s, 2000s, or 2020s and would be relevant regardless. It's upon that realization that the depression really sets in. So I wouldn't say people should read it because they would 'like it', because they won't, but rather it will likely challenge their worldview. And people should always read books that perform that rare feat.

The ground-level focus of the book is its strength and its weakness. The micro-level experience gives a real human face to the issues facing the underpaid but the macro-level statistics only work if you assume everyone's perspective is the same. And I always maintain that you can't use the micro to justify the macro (and vice versa). Just because one person survives cancer doesn't mean it isn't a deadly disease.  This is further complicated by two out of the three cities being heavy tourist hubs that are viewed during their off-seasons. While her points aren't invalid, it does skew the results. It would be like taking global temperature readings where one test was on the equator and the other was on the north pole.

To get the objective portion out of the way, the book is well written. It's everything you'd expect from someone who was educated in the most mayo of liberal arts colleges. I mean this both in a technical and artistic level. Not only does the book communicate all the information clearly but it also makes you feel it emotionally. One glance at many of the other basic bitch reviews shows judgment being heavily swayed by cognitive dissonance, but, regardless of how your lukewarm evolutionary leftovers make you feel about the subject matter, no one can successfully argue it isn't at least well written.

I could make several arguments for and against this book, but I think that would miss the overall point. I don't think anyone without rotten karma would disagree that the working poor has a terrible time of it. The point of the book being to expose how bad it truly is and how we're being less and less aware of it from the socially forced segregation of the classes. The main underlying issue with the book is the power of assumption that there needs to be a dramatic change to fix things. But, if there's anything one can learn from this book, is that the working poor doesn't have the time or inclination for revolution. They just don't want to be poor.

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Review: Six Wakes

Six Wakes by Mur Lafferty
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I dislike disliking things. Honestly, I wished everything was good. It's not, we know this, but I somehow hope that every book, movie, and album is good in some way. That's the best way to describe how I feel about this book. I want to like it, but it's not good enough for me to justify any kind of stamp of approval. I can't even say this book is only mediocre as it's good in some elements but bad in completely different others.

The reason I felt bad about disliking this book is because it actually has a brain in it. Much of the book, at least in terms of world-building, is smart and thought out. It's everything else about it that just kind of sucks. It takes the Heinlein question of "What if (clones)?" and runs through its logical paces. The problem is that the story isn't well constructed and is mostly vapid on a creative level.

The plot is supposed to be a murder mystery but the author doesn't seem to know how to write one. This is clear in its lack of focus on the actual plot and tends to make up less interesting subplots to pad out what is already a book that is below average in length. It kind of sort of all connects at the end, but the ending feels uninspired and unearned. The structure might have worked as a fictional memoir or other less thriller-derived plot. It's like someone showed up to a Halloween party dressed as Santa Clause. They got the idea but missed the point.

Perhaps the biggest problem with the book is its tone. It's kind of the same problem I had with the "Murderbot Dairies". A flat uninterested tone that could have been engaging if it wasn't also so tiresome. Here, the tone is fairly nonchalant about everything. The problem is that I can't tell if it's supposed to be the point or if it's just bad writing. And if you can't tell if something is done purposely or if it's just bad, always put your money on it being bad.

This book is smart but badly written on almost every metric. And I like smart books, they tend to be my favorite kind, which left me struggling to determine how I felt. I want to like it, but it's just not good. Not even remotely.

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Review: The Jasmine Throne

The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Meh.

If that review is good enough for you, then don't read any further. For those who require some context of discontent, please proceed.

There are books that get middling reviews because I don't get them and fail to connect to the final product. Then, there are middling reviews when I get it exactly as intended but feel it wasn't particularly good. This is the latter. It's not bad in many ways, but it's also not good in just as many.

Prose-wise, it's fairly good in this department. Everything is correct and written creatively. The writing doesn't become fully engaging, but I feel that isn't the prose's fault. There is plenty of blame to spread around. The characters, for example, are trope and just not that interesting. The book writes in a way that tries to convince you to care about them but fails to understand that this has to happen organically. A reader either cares about the characters or they don't, and no amount of the characters complaining about their feelings/problems will change that.

I think the book's biggest problem is the pacing. It starts too early and feels like it's taking its time. And it's not in a wasting time kind of pacing, but rather a slow burn sort of way. Imagine talking to two people. One takes random pauses because they don't have much to say, and the other speaks slowly, words are pronounced in a long drawn-out fashion, and takes forever to get to the point. This book is the second person.

The sluggish plot seems to be a result of either bad writing or deliberate padding to make a thin story into a book series. Because everything has to be a fucking series/trilogy. Protip: Don't write three books when a novella will do.

To be honest, the southeast Asian influences are the only thing it has going for it. Strip all that out, and you have just another mediocre book in an endless sea of mediocrity. If you get something from it, good for you. Just don't @ me saying it's good, because it's not. It's meh.

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Review: The Sins of Our Fathers

The Sins of Our Fathers by James S.A. Corey
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This novella really only exists to answer a couple of questions. Your interest will vary based on how badly you want those questions answered. Pacing is a little on the slow side but it is otherwise competent in its writing. Personally I feel what happens towards to the end should have been more of a middle act that unfolds a more interesting adventure. What we get is more of a non-ending that tries to be cool as it walks away while putting its sunglasses on.

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Review: Leviathan Falls

Leviathan Falls by James S.A. Corey
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The entire plot of this book is to very slowly hang a 'Sorry, We're Closed" sign on the universe. Because (spoiler I guess?) that's pretty much what happens. There really isn't that much of an overall plot that doesn't directly involve ending the series. And I don't mean a plot that drives us to an ending, but rather an ending that drives the plot. This is particularly true in the latter half where it feels like the book is looking at the plot and wordlessly taps its watch in a passive-aggressive way to tell it to hurry up we got to go.

Honestly, I was just disappointed in the book overall. The aliens that killed off the ring builders had always been left as super vague and I was hoping for at least something in the way of explaining who, what, and why. Vagueness can be used to generate intrigue but it can also be a symptom of lacking in creativity or simple laziness. It feels more like the latter in this case. Add in a slow plot that mostly involves hacking Amos's dreams in a series that flaunts white-knuckle space battles, and we have a book that isn't 'bad' but just kind of a loose letdown.

Since endings, especially to long-running series, can make or break one's emotions on it, I'll skip over more nuanced critiques and focus mainly on that. Bottom line: It's okay. It's one of those endings that looks great in a one-page synopsis or outline. As it plays out, however, it feels trope and more of a purposeful ending than a genuine one. Or maybe it's just because everyone feels surprisingly chill about what is going on that it prevents the narrative from selling it. The ending feels more correct than it does good.

I think that sums up my feelings on this particular book. I want to write up an overall review of the series, but I have one more novella to get through. Also, I have to find the time for it. The two people who follow my blog might skim it but that doesn't mean I don't have thoughts on the subject. I also watched the TV series and might have thoughts on comparing that as well. We'll see.

I know this kind of ended on me just talking about my blog plans, but it was still a more genuine ending than to the Expanse.

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Review: Cryptid Club

Cryptid Club by Sarah Andersen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

If you're familiar with Sarah Andersen's work even in the slightest, the comedic and art style should instantly appeal to you. The creatures in this book are mostly characterized with the small little anxieties we all have and that, somehow, makes them relatable and lovable. This is a cute well drawn book that is easy to pick up but hard to put down as you'll reread your favorite parts over and over.

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Review: Secret Wars

Secret Wars by Jonathan Hickman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Certainly one of the better Marvel crossover events. It has plenty of the familiar trappings of such crossovers but it still maintains telling a good story. Hickman is on point with characters he should be more than familiar with by now. The writing serves the comic well on levels in terms of pacing, plot, dialogue, and how to direct the panels. It's an easy recommendation. Read further to find out everything that's wrong with it.

Its biggest issue is that it can't be read in a vacuum. Not only is this the mega event to end all mega events (literally), but it also serves as the closing chapter to Hickman's work in both Classic and Ultimate Marvel. Sure, you can read it as a standalone, but much of the weight of it will probably be lost on you. Though, even without that weight, it's still a worthy read. Just not Thor-level worthy.

Another problem is the inherent lack of scope. Setting the world in a nearly pure fantasy realm allows for some awesome creativity and no-holds-barred characters. But, it also means that nothing really matters. Everyone is just fighting until something blows up and the comic world can be reset. It's fun while it lasts though.

The art is great. I think anyone with eyes can see that. It's lush and detailed. I couldn't find a single panel I had a problem with.

Another plus is how Hickman writes Namor and T'Challa. I don't think anyone has written these characters better. What makes their scenes great is that they're together and easily bounce off each other. With their conflict-ridden history and divergent personalities, interlaced with how they're also similar in many ways, the stuff pretty much writes itself.

I'm, admittedly, a fanboy for Hickman's work. But even I can say that this isn't his best work. It's still great, which speaks volumes of how good his work is overall. And, it serves as a great closing volume if you've read his work up to this point. It just should be a crime to read on its own.

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Review: Auberon

Auberon by James S.A. Corey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Auberon is certainly one of the more interesting pieces of short fiction coming out of the Expanse. The pacing, prose, and general themes of the novella are all fairly well conceived and executed. It even has an added bonus of including a side character we haven't seen in a while, but, to be fair, most have probably mostly forgotten about. Creating a perfect "Oh yeah, that guy" moment when it finally dawns on you.

It's, of course, not really important to the main series and might as well not exist aside from being a good piece of short fiction. Honestly, it could even be read outside the Expanse without much issue. There are enough common threads that even a decent reader could piece together much of it. The containment of its plot and scope is its blessing but, in some ways, a curse as well.

I'll get more into the last bit when I review the short collection as a whole later on. I have thoughts.

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Review: Tiamat's Wrath

Tiamat's Wrath by James S.A. Corey
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This volume of the series almost seems deliberately written to challenge its own constructs. Holden isn't the throughline and barely does much of anything beyond his best impression of Princess Peach. And, knowing it's the penultimate volume, there's an air of doing both of wrapping certain things up while setting up what will happen in the final book. Clearing up things that aren't needed to make room for the bigger plot points. This causes some balance issues, but I'll get to that in a minute.

First off, I liked Teresa. She's a fleshed-out character that is different enough from previous characters to feel fresh and interesting. That's always the goal with new characters in long-running series, especially towards the end. I welcome her and was always excited to read a chapter from her perspective.

Second, some legacy characters felt dated. This is very true of Bobbie. Since Persepolis Rising, she just didn't feel like her old badass self. She has plenty to do in both the last book and this one, but her actions felt more like she was merely doing her part to push forward the plot. The Corey team also has a certain way of doing things and it creates telltale signs. What I mean is that a similar event happens to another legacy character and I knew it was a fake-out because they didn't handle it the same way. Anyone who has or is reading the book can probably understand my meaning.

The uneven nature of this book was perhaps more noticeable than in other volumes. When something exciting is happening, I couldn't put it down. But, when it was waiting for the next shoe to drop or balloon to go up, reading felt like a painful slog. Nothing about the book felt unnecessary but also felt like it was pushing for a word count quota.

I've made it this far and have one book left to go. While this volume has its issues, I'm honestly excited. It's been a long ass road and we're almost at the end. I suppose if this book got me excited for the next one than i suppose it has done its job.

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Review: Persepolis Rising

Persepolis Rising by James S.A. Corey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

If I broke down my thoughts on this book into one word, it would be "well-balanced". Not super great by any means, but shows a clear path to tell the best story it can within its universe. Its faults are more missed opportunities than anything else, and what it does well it makes sure to do so in abundance. As the first book in the final Expanse arc, it behaves much like a good breakfast. Giving everything you need to start your day on the right track.

PR is better-paced than most other books in the series. most of the books had a problem with repeating patterns. Build up to calamity, calamity, deal with the fallout. This book isn't much better than in that regard, but it paces it much better. It also has multiple ebbs and flows rather than one massive event to build a story around. If anything, it feels much like the first book but has learned how to write it better over the course of multiple years. There's a feeling of getting back to basics without becoming basic in the process.

My only major problem with it is the lack of usage in the time skip. The advantage of a time skip is that you can dislocate characters and events to create the feeling of starting anew. It can be disorienting, but exciting at the same time. The problem here is that most of the characters are pretty much the same as they were at the end of the sixth book. Older to be sure, but different in any real way. There's nothing bad about it, just feels like something more could have been done.

Stupid example: The introduction of Goten towards the beginning of the Buu Saga. Years had gone by and the audience was hit with several things they expected. Then, they were hit with a development they weren't.

The political dynamics are strong and the writing is smart. I would even say the prose and characters are better than in most of the previous novels. Seemingly knowing this is the final arc and the authors put their best foot forward. All in all, I rather enjoyed this volume of the Expanse series. I had to chew on a lot of Teflon to get to this point, but I'm glad that I'm here to enjoy it.

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Review: Strange Dogs

Strange Dogs by James S.A. Corey
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This Expanse novella did a good job of keeping my attention as it's well-paced and written, but I can't rate this book above a simple 'it's okay'. This is simply a random horror-themed story set in the Expanse universe. That's fine in and of itself, but I couldn't help but feel the story was just spinning wheels until everything comes to a stop. If you're decently familiar with what's going on with the series by this point, it's a fine story. But that's also its problem. It doesn't do better than okayness.

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Review: Babylon's Ashes

Babylon's Ashes by James S.A. Corey
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It's honestly not what I expected. With this novel basically being "Nemesis Games Part 2", I had high hopes this novel would bring its A game. Instead, it brings its OK game. Not bad in any real way but fails only slightly fewer ways than it succeeds.

I think its biggest problem is that the narrative is all over the place. The previous novels did an excellent job keeping a tight control on their structure, but Ashes tends to reach for things to talk about. We end up getting scenes and long stretches of reflective perspective that have little to no impact on the overall story. For example, Prax gets the fifth degree over some leaked information. While the scene itself is well written, there is little progress in what is happening with the rather high-stakes war that is currently evolving. To be fair, a lot is going on across the solar system, but we get entire scenes of characters thinking to themselves when any information their scenes have could have been relayed through a footnote. We have meetings when it could have just been an email.

Also, Marco isn't a strong villain. He's shallow, not overly bright, and honestly easily undermined by even the slightest hiccup in his plans. This seems to be done mostly on purpose, but I still would have preferred someone who felt like a worthy opponent. Though, as much as Holden relied on coincidence and plot armor, a smarter villain might have won.

Prose and characters are still a strong aspect of the series. Nothing to lose your shit over, but there's a fair amount of polish on everything. Pa is an interesting character but is defined by their relation to the plot more than anything else. While there are a lot of natural elements between Pa and Holden that practically write themselves, the focus should have been to make Pa more of a counterweight to Holden. It further highlights how the issues with the Expanse on more with the marco rather than the micro. It's probably why I liked Nemesis Games so much as both sides of those elements came together.

With six books down and three to go, I don't see any reason to stop reading. I'm not as involved with the story as I probably should be by this point, but I'm still mostly enjoying myself. There just seems to be some familiar patterns in how the novels develop that fail to provide the originality a long-form story needs. We'll see how this changes, if at all, as this series enters its endgame arc.

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Review: Endurance: A Year in Space, A Lifetime of Discovery

Endurance: A Year in Space, A Lifetime of Discovery by Scott Kelly
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I'm honestly fairly conflicted about this book. I was equally intrigued and bored by this book. Simultaneously interested and disinterested.  One of the great real-life heroic stories of scientific strife in our lifetime times written by the world's most average dad. I wanted to like this book but walked away with very middling feelings about it. I don't regret reading it, but still wished it was better.

The book is written with a very dry, matter-of-fact writing style. There are vague outbursts of emotion, the rant on CO2 scrubbers sticks out in my mind, but most of the volume is just recalling examples of the trials of being a navy pilot, test subject, and space dad. There's nothing particularly wrong with the writing. But not bad doesn't mean it's good.

Side note: The by-line has the name Margaret Lazarus Dean added to it. My guess is this is the person who physically wrote the book. Or, at least, was assigned by the publisher to refine the text. Either way, the prose needed work.

I will praise the book in that it does successfully create a strong sense of what it's like to be an astronaut. I learned a good deal and realized it's far more physically demanding than most might suspect. Most of the novel isn't written in a well-constructed exciting way, but it is at least interesting from a pure experience sort of way.

There's not much else to say about this book. Looking back on it, I'll probably only remember the more interesting facts of the novel and disregard most of the text. It's a great story but would have preferred it was written in a different style. Or any style really.

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Review: Nemesis Games

Nemesis Games by James S.A. Corey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book is easily the best of the series so far. After a couple of books that tended to spin in circles, Nemesis Games puts the series back on track. Not a perfect book but it firmly establishes itself as an extremely engaging story with (mostly) great pacing and characters. A volume that succeeds far more than it fails by focusing on what makes the series good in the first place.

NG kind of reminds me of Caliban's War. In a good way of course. NG and CW both strike the right balance of elements like plot and characters. Abaddon's Gate and Cibola Burn felt a little more one-sided with slower plots and less than interesting characters. NG had the good idea to split up the main crew so we can focus on each one of them as characters and offer a unique angle to the unfolding plot. It also guests stars series favorites Avasarala and Bobbie, which is always a good idea.

I have two major complaints. Both of them are roughly connected.

One, Naomi gets kidnapped. Again. At this point, I don't think this qualifies as a spoiler as if I had a dollar for every time this happened I would have plenty of gas money. I don't know if this is a result of it coming from male writers or if they can't think of anything else to do with the character. Neither would surprise me.

Two, the last few chapters lack a true climax, and the book just kind of putters out. There's a sense that this is the opening round of a larger plot, but books, especially ones of this nature, still need a feeling of completeness. What we end up getting is the breather between rounds. Every character that we remember the name of is safe, but probably not for long.

After the series took a turn in a direction I didn't expect but also didn't fully enjoy, it's nice to see the interplanetary drama take center stage once again. The dynamic might be familiar, but that doesn't mean it's an unpleasant one. NG has shaken the series up in a very good way and leaves me with the hope that maybe the best is to come. Maybe in the next book, Naomi can avoid getting captured.

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Review: Cibola Burn

Cibola Burn by James S.A. Corey
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A solid book in a solid series. A big step up from "Abaddon's Gate" but remains in danger of missing its potential and simply becoming the James Holden Action Hour. Pacing is a lot better and the new characters do more than just service the plot. The third novel was anywhere close to a deal-breaker, but it made me weary this series ran out of steam before it hit the halfway point. This fourth book, while you don't realize it at first, opens the series up in ways I didn't fully expect.

I started this second paragraph hoping to expand on my thoughts, but I'm suddenly finding myself at a loss. Even in the complaint compartment, I can't seem to drive any points home that the first paragraph sums up. So prepare for some random thoughts on this book.

Protip: Read the novella "The Churn" before reading this. And I really can't say why without spoiling it. There isn't a direct link in the plot from this novel to that novella, but a character is more forward in this novel than in previous ones, and it assumes you've read the novella to understand why.

I hated Murtry. But you're supposed to, so I guess that makes it okay. My big problem with him is that characters keep threatening to shoot him and they don't for vague reasons. Someone should have at least wounded him in the leg or his tiny toxic balls so he would hopefully get the idea to stop being an asshole.

The female character's perspective, Elvi, is obviously written by dudes. Even if I hadn't known who the authors are, I could still tell. The female voice isn't inherently wrong or offensive, but there's a tone it fails to strike. It's too subtle to place a strong finger on but obvious at the same time.

I'm unsure how I feel about using epilogues as teasers for upcoming books. I'm not hating it, but it also feels like how a bad TV series desperate for rating would be written.

The interludes felt out of sync with the rest of how the series has been written. Trying to add artistic flair to a fairly straightforward book.

Basia is still mostly forgettable.

I think that's about it. If you've read the first three books, this review won't change your mind regardless of how you feel about continuing the series. I'm in it for the long haul, and I'll let you know how I feel about the rest of the series.

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Review: How to Change: The Science of Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be

How to Change: The Science of Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be by Katy Milkman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I'm not a big reader of advice books. There's a fairly concise reason for that: They're mostly bullshit. Books written by people who think they can solve their own problems by selling a best seller that tells you they can solve yours. The problem with a field that is littered with crap, is that it can be hard to find the one patch of good ground. I'm here to tell you, this book is one of the good ones. There's also a fairly concise reason for that: Science. This book has several points to make and it can back up what it says.

Overall, I liked what this book has to say. It's structured well enough to get to the point but isn't so concise that it is just a list of ideas. If you highlighted just the useful bits of information, you can truncate this book to less than five pages. However, that information is useless without the context the book creates. It just doesn't give you useful advice, it makes the argument of why it's useful. It's easy for the less civilized to be dismissive of context, but that doesn't mean you should be.

That being said, be sure to highlight/underline the useful bits.

There are a lot of studies and assimilated information from said studies, but, if I can be negative (which I'm a Gold Medal winner of being), there isn't much of a plan to use this information. Or, to be more accurate, lack of a system. This book isn't so much about making a path to change, but rather giving someone the tools to make their own path. Which isn't so bad when you think about it.

I would say this book is mostly for those who feel as if they aren't fulfilling their potential. The advice is geared more to nudging you, bit by bit, in the right direction. If you have a serious problem with things like addiction or living in Florida then you should look elsewhere. The assimilation of this book's knowledge isn't as cut and dry as I would like, but it is otherwise a useful volume. Way better than most of the bullshit that's out there.

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Review: Batman: The Long Halloween

Batman: The Long Halloween by Jeph Loeb
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

"The pen is mighty than the sword." Know what's that from? Don't feel bad if you didn't. I had to Google it. It's from Edward Bulwer-Lytton. Don't feel bad if that name doesn't ring a bell either. The thing is, you've probably know something he has written. The above example, "it was a dark and stormy night", "pursuit of the almighty dollar", etc. A writer who became more famous for his adages than his actual work. Humbling that he has became so ingrained into the world's zeitgeist, but sad that no one really remembers him in a fuller sense.

The reason I mention this is because I couldn't help but feel the same way with "Batman: The Long Halloween". Having read it for the first time, there is probably an sense among those who read it when it first came out, feeling that it stands up on it's own. But, from the view of a first timer, it's easier to see the influence it has had in other Batman media. Using "I believe in Harvey Dent" in Nolan's Dark Knight as a key example. The problem being, that taking something bit by bit like that makes it apart of a greater whole, but waters down the original work. Like taking a house a part and turning into building material for a large business complex.

This thought further drives home the Bulwer-Lytton comparison. The reason why EBL isn't remembered as well as his quotes is because his whole work is a little lackluster. If this review somehow makes you want to read his work, here's a piece of advice: Don't. The simplest reason is that it doesn't hold up well. I don't consider his work 'bad', but it's dated to the point it wears it on its sleeve in the form of a Victorian era tattoo. I kind of feel the same way about Long Halloween. Even though the work isn't nearly as old, I can't escape the feeling it isn't aging as well. That might also be because Loeb writes like Frank Miller doing a Raymond Chandler impression.

While it's influence is undeniable, being important doesn't equal being good. The pacing is uneven, many side characters are introduced over and over, the voice isn't consistent, Batman is mostly unimportant to the story, and the ending makes less sense the more you think about it. I still recommend reading it, but not because of its own merits. The thing about influence, it's always important to be familiar with the source material.

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Review: The Churn

The Churn by James S.A. Corey
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This story has a set goal in mind. You don't really realize it until the end, but there is a point. Even if it doesn't seem like it for 99% of the narrative. And I really hoped there would be a point, as a space opera set in Baltimore doesn't sound appealing. I can't really say more as the reveal at the end can make or break your opinion of the story. Mostly, I would set this story in the win column even if it takes the long way around.

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Review: Gods of Risk

Gods of Risk by James S.A. Corey
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

An interesting story but seems lacking in scope. Or maybe the main character isn't that interesting. Teenagers tend to be like that. Imagine if you spent an entire movie with Luke complaining to his uncle about power converters. The story isn't that bad, but it does suffer because of it. The entire thing seemed to just be an excuse to have a story take place on Mars and guest star Bobbie. Otherwise, it's decently paced and written, but it ends exactly as I expected it to. Worth reading at least once after you finish "Caliban’s War". Not praiseworthy, but didn't feel like it wasted my time either. 

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Review: The Butcher of Anderson Station

The Butcher of Anderson Station by James S.A. Corey
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. That's a title that begs a question. Or, at least, drives the idea that there's a story behind it. When reading the first Expanse novel, Fred being called "The Butcher of Anderson Station" created that desired effect. Leaving people wondering what the story was behind it. But, much like a deleted scene in a movie, if it was important to the story they would have left it in.

The story itself is well written enough. If you've read an action story-driven scene in the Expanse series, this will feel very familiar to you. Lots of spectacle, but not as much depth as I would have expected. It's not bad. In fact, I would say it's rather good. It's just good for certain reasons. It doesn't broaden the universe in any real way rather than just answering the question you've all been asking. Making it clear, there are two big reasons it's the best in the whole state.

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Review: Drive

Drive by James S.A. Corey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

If you're a fan of the Expanse books, you'll probably enjoy it. Even if you're not, it's a fairly good story. Hell, even without the context of the Expanse series, it works on a lot of levels. Conceptually, it's a little ridiculous, but the depth of the characters and the richness of the writing really sells it. The shortened length lets the Expanse writers show their talents by being more concise, making the smart choice to focus on the characters and their interactions with the world around them. A lesser writer(s) would have done a rather bland world building expose. It doesn't improve my view of the Expanse universe in any real way. I was just happy in reading it.

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Review: A Master of Djinn

A Master of Djinn by P. Djèlí Clark
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Don't ask me about this book. Not because I hated it or simply don't want to talk about it. The reason you shouldn't ask me is that I probably won't be able to answer any of your questions. Especially as more time drags on. The bottom line is that I enjoyed this book as I read it, but would fail a multiple-choice test on what it was about.

I will say that this is a fairly well-written book. Things like pacing and characters are all well-rounded. It can be quirky without all the characters sounding the same. Simple things like sentence structure and dialogue are all on point. Everything in the text screams that this was written by someone who knows what they're doing. Just be careful about that big but that is coming your way.

I couldn't help but think that I was reading escapism. Everything in the book was technically correct (the best kind of correct), but there was a lack of flare or substance that makes good books, well, good. It's kind of like eating popcorn. No matter how much butter, salt, or various flavorings you pour on top of it, it still has that basic taste of popcorn. There's nothing inherently wrong with popcorn, but there's also nothing special about it either.

I hate to file this under "just another book". Pretty much anyone who reads it will probably enjoy it. I liked it as I read it, and looking back on it doesn't change my opinion of it. It just won't stay with me, dissolving into the ether without much fanfare. There are books out there that have thrilled, moved, and even haunted me. This book did nothing of the sort. If you are to ask about it, do it now before I even forget I wrote this review.

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Review: Abaddon's Gate

Abaddon's Gate by James S.A. Corey
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Honestly, the third book in the Expanse series is weaker than the first two. Not bad, just weaker. If you're not interested in reading about how it's weaker then just stop reading here. The rest of this review is just me clarifying my feelings. I'm not mad at it enough to allow this review from turning into a rant, so, if anything, I'll probably just come off as whining.

This book's biggest problem is that it takes too long to get started. This mostly stems from certain characters not having much to do for much of the early parts of the book. They become essential to the plot in the latter half, but just kind of hang out until they're needed. A good example of this is a news crew that joins Holden early in the book. Besides a subplot that involves them, they spend much of the book invisible in the background. I literally forgot they were even there until, late in the book, Holden needs to broadcast something. This is also true for the characters Bull and Anna, who spent much of their time introducing themselves until they're needed. Melba does the same thing but in reverse. She's super important to the beginning but just stands around once she fulfills her part of the plot.

The characters Bull and Anna also didn't really do it for me. Which is saying something since Anna is a redhead. Bull feels generic in a lot of ways and Anna's background is more interesting than herself as a person. Anna does kinda grow on me, but it's a too-little-too-late kind of situation. I even have my problems with Melba since her chief character trait is motivation. But reading her chapters is at least interesting to see things from her point of view. I think my problem is that they don't bring anything new to the table. Not every character has to be a badass, but it helps.

This third book is also more of a sequel to the first one than a continuation of two novels. This is more of a note of how these novels act as a series than anything else. Anyone who keeps up with these reviews will probably see more comments like this as I work my way through them.

With a sluggish start and more sluggish characters, I had problems with getting through this one. It felt more like work, where I was reading it so I could continue with the series. It's not bad, much less a deal-breaker, just lackluster from what I've come to expect. Where everything feels just slightly uninteresting until things devolve into a gunfight. Because, in a world of space travel, we can't seem to just super nuke our problems away.

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Review: Caliban's War

Caliban's War by James S.A. Corey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I'm going to start with a side tangent. There's a section of the book where it is obvious that one, or both, of the author(s) is venting a social/political opinion. It comes off as uninformed and makes the typical white American mistake of assuming that if poor people were given money that they would become lazy so quickly they would open a quantum singularity. But I'm not pointing it out because I disagree with it, I'm pointing it out because it's obvious when a writer starts ax-grinding. Writers always think they're so clever and think we don't notice when their personal opinions leak onto the page. I doubt any authors are reading this, but I'm here to tell you something important: WE KNOW. It's obvious. Reading the entire library of Heinlein might have made me extra sensitive to this, but 99% of the people who have already read 'Caliban's War' know exactly which chapter I'm talking about.

Using ax-grinding to point out ax-grinding aside, I rather enjoyed this book. If you read and liked the first Expanse novel, 'Leviathan Wakes', you'll be happy to hear it's more of the same. Good pacing, intelligent plot and characters, and remains to its core belief of being a sci-fi adventure story. Its flaws are a little more apparent in this volume, but nothing that subtracts from the overall experience.

Caliban can be enjoyed mostly on its own as much of the story is self-contained. Which, to ax grind a little more, is one hundred percent how book series should be written. It's okay to connect books with related events and characters, but I've waded through so much garbage where literally nothing happens in the entire first novel because it's all set up for the second and/or third. This is especially true in the bane of modern literature, the trilogy. That isn't the case here as much of the novel succeeds of its lone merits. I don't recommend reading Caliban without first reading Wakes, but you can and still enjoy yourself.

Perhaps the biggest problem with Caliban, and perhaps the Expanse series in general, is a lack of logical motivation from the villains. They just seem to be a bunch of mad scientists who do terrible things with science because they're mad. I call it Gargamel Syndrome. We don't know why he's trying to capture the smurfs, only that it doesn't really matter to the story because he never succeeds. There never seems to be an endgame for the Expanse villains beyond avoiding getting caught even though they do things so brazen they're obviously going to get caught. Their motives don't seem to matter because they don't succeed (spoiler?). The book, at the end, even asks why but doesn't seem to care enough to allow an answer. They might be saving it for a later book, but right now it's more of a mild annoyance.

Bottom line, at least for now, is that the Expanse novels are enjoyable. Usually, I require more than that, but I think the books do enough to set its tone so you know what you're in for. Something smart, fun, and can easily recommend. And that's what I'll do here. It's fun while it lasts, but expect to donate it when KonMari comes to your house.

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Review: Grant

Grant by Ron Chernow
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Well, that took a long while to read. Not to say I regret it or anything. It's just such an encompassing biography on someone who spent most of his life doing something important is not exactly light reading. Especially when it is so thoroughly well researched and detailed. In short, there probably isn't a more complete book on Grant outside of his own Memoirs.

I want to state upfront that I highly recommend this book if you're a history nerd or highly enjoy nonfiction works. It's well written and complied. It relies mostly on statements and events that can be backed up while acknowledging when something is likely subjective. I do have some complaints, which I'll of course get to, but this is one of the best civil war era biographies that wasn't a multi-volume set that noted every time someone sat down for tea.

My biggest complaint is that, during Grant's presidency, the narrative tends to find a few too many excuses for him. The book does successfully make the argument that he is perhaps America's most underrated President, but it also fails when it comes to assigning blame for his administration's failings. Taking a buck stops anywhere but with Grant approach. It is true that Grant himself wasn't corrupt, but being naive is a reason, not an excuse. I never felt there was a specific agenda at play, it just felt like the author felt bad for Grant because he was so often taken advantage of.

A much more nitpicking complaint is the book probably could have been a good fifty pages shorter. That sounds like a drop in the bucket compared to the sheer size of the volume, but I found the occasional segment that felt a little useless. The longest single example would be the troubled relationship between Julia Grant and Mary Lincoln. While interesting to a point, it reads more like a distraction than anything else. This point is more subjective but it's unlikely I'm the only one who felt that way while reading it.

Given how epic this book is, I hate to sum it up in a few paragraphs. Still, I can't really say much beyond exclaiming taht it's required reading. Rather than treating history as purely a list of facts, there is an artistry to the words that paint the man as a portrait. Something with depth and emotion instead of just a completed list of checkboxes. I walked away not only knowing what Grant had done but how he felt as he did it.

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Review: The Empress of Salt and Fortune

The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Given this is a short book, I'll sum up in a short review.

Meh.

To elaborate, the prose and characters are fair to strong, but seems to lack in any real sort of plot.  I mean, I get what's going on, but there doesn't seem to be any sort of point to the affair. Or maybe the point is so subtle I missed it. Being subtle is my preference, but only when it elicits a reaction or has payoff. You can't be subtle just for the sake of being subtle.

I think I can chalk this up to just being not for me. It doesn't come off as bad and my pretentious garbage alarm didn't go off. At no point I disliked reading this book, but I didn't love it either. It feels purposely written for a particular group of people. Which is great in and of itself, I'm just not it.

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Review: Leviathan Wakes

Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. Corey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I honestly didn't know they made good adventure books anymore. You would think everything that labels itself as genre fiction was either world-building or droning introspective that do everything they can to avoid the plot. But the Expanse series, or at least the first book I just finished, makes no qualms about what it is. An entertaining space adventure that is 110% character and plot-driven. Something that wants you to like it without sacrificing good writing. There are issues, that I'll of course get into, but this book is good in such an old-fashioned sense that it threw me for a loop.

While I think the driven nature of the book suits it well, I was surprised at the lack of world-building. Multi-book epics tend to go on and on about the universe the author(s) created. Though this is mostly known in high fantasy that elevates the lore so much it can give you a nose bleed, it's not uncommon in science fiction. There's a more minimalist approach here that only really gives you what you need. It wasn't a turn-off for me, but it might be for those with tissues wadded up their nostrils.

The dual narrative can also be slightly problematic. It works 90% of the time but can feel clunky when the two main characters are in the same room. It's still structured better than most other books, even otherwise good ones, and it remains committed to the concept. It allows the authors to draw out their strengths and mostly avoids their weaknesses. Mostly.

The pacing is solid, starting and ending at the right place, but can drag in a few spots. The longest chapter of the book just has the chapters watching a bunch of videos as the plot is unfolded for both reader and character. While each chapter justifies its existence as a whole, some of the areas could have been truncated.  This is especially true for one side of the last chapters of the book. As the character doesn't have much to do except reflect on his life. As it reaches the end, you (and even the characters) know what is going to happen, but can take just a little too long to get there. That being said, it's probably my only serious issue with the book.

I have a tendency to finish things that I start. Even completing really bad books just so I can complain about how bad they are (check my other reviews for more). But nine novels plus a collection of shorts is too much even for my Adamantium constitution. About halfway into the book, I wondered if I would continue. The short answer is a yes. While not the best thing I've ever read in the history of man, it is smart and entertaining. It reminds me of a Heinlein juvenile but more grown-up and containing less sexism (and, unfortunately, fewer redheads). The book just wants to tell a good story in a good way. And it didn't even have to get up its own ass to do it.

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Review: Light from Uncommon Stars

Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Am I picky or do I just have high standards? Probably the former, but I like to think it's the latter. I've read some books with heaps of praise that I end up giving low scores to. It makes me wonder if I'm defective or do people like certain books for inane reasons. This one is probably a mix. For the record, these thoughts don't apply to this book. I love it. But I will nick pick a few issues I think it has. Because I can't just sit back and enjoy something, I have to be overly critical of it too.

I'll say upfront that I not only enjoyed this book, but I think it's genuinely good as well. The plot is well-paced, the characters are vivid and interesting, the dialogue is strong, and it's even relevant. It's literally everything you can want in a good book. There are a few flaws, that I'll get to in a moment, but just know that you should definitely read this book at your earliest convenience.

The biggest flaw, to get the bad news out of the way, is the throughline isn't strong enough. I don't mean the character, but rather the voice. The flow from character to character feels unstructured and even somewhat lost in the earlier chapters of the book. This book has a lot to say but feels a little unclear as to who gets to say it. It slowly comes together, but can take a little bit to get there. Also, to be clear, this isn't a pacing issue. The story starts in the right place and gets right to work. Rather it took me a few chapters to get a feel for everything.

With the story that opens in such a fractured way, I was afraid that it wouldn't land the ending. As something that is 100% praise, I will say it has one of the best endings I've read in a while. It doesn't waste your time and just hits you with it like a batter looking to score a home run, which it succeeds at. Some might think it's a little too neat, but I was entirely satisfied with it.

Prose wise I think it's strongly written, offering a healthy mix of internal strife and clever character interactions. I will say that the interactions are some of the stronger aspects of the book. The dialogue and descriptions between them are charming even when they're being completely serious. We also get plenty of time alone with our characters, but this is more of a mixed bag. While what is being described fits and is necessary, it just feels far more monotone.

One last note is a plot point called the "End Plague". This idea is so damn interesting and clever that I wished the entire book was centered around it. The fact that it's not brings me back to its greatest strength and greatest weakness. I'm going out on a limb and say that this book has too many story ideas for an average-sized novel. In a weird way, it feels like two novellas having to live together in the same apartment and are forced to share a main character. While there are too many books out there that are too long for their concepts, I'm going to say this one is too short. For the time I spent with it though, I think this book is awesome.

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