A Gamer Geek's Cogitations, Conjectures and other Cortical Experiences

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Book Review – The Straggler’s Mask

The Straggler's MaskThe Straggler’s Mask by Juho Pohjalainen
My rating: [rating=2]
Link to the review on Goodreads.

It’s been a while since I had the opportunity to review a First Reads book that I won from Goodreads. In fact this is perhaps my third book since creating my Goodreads account. Be that as it may, let’s get on with my book review of The Straggler’s Mask.

Since this book is an ebook I had no idea how long it was; although I rarely check. The length of a book is hardly a factor as to whether or not I’ll read it (although it might be a factor as to when I read it). Good books that are long rarely feel long, for example the first couple of books in George R. R. Martin’s Song of Fire and Ice series (aka Game of Thrones). Unfortunately for this book, there are parts where it feels like it drags on. I’m actually going to skip the synopsis this time, and the reason for that will become clear shortly.

Biggs’ Review

Based on a few Amazon and Goodreads searches I couldn’t find any other book written by this author; therefore I’m going to assume this is their first book. I know it has to be hard to publish your first book not knowing how its going to be received by readers. As much as I don’t like giving mediocre reviews to a debutante author, I did struggle with this book, a lot.

This is a bugbear from Dungeon’s & Dragons

I found it difficult to keep track of all the characters as well as the story. Sometimes I forgot where they are as they traveled. I honestly forgot what their ultimate goal was (until I got to the actual face off with Nirvana). There are times when the point of view of the storyteller would change, without notice and I had no idea who was speaking in the first person. I went through about a 3 week dry spell where I didn’t pick the book up at all because I was bored. However, I still finished it because I refuse to leave a book unfinished, but it felt a little arduous.

Peal is an Interesting Character

I did enjoy the concept of the story (an unsuspecting creature picking up the mantel of a legendary hero). Peal is an interesting character, though his skittishness and small stature don’t really correlate to what I expect a bugbear to look like or behave. Granted that’s based on an old D&D reference point. The world the author created felt pretty imaginative and thought out. However I don’t know if I would have used Earth; otherwise you are setting the readers up to identify familiar areas of the planet which they’re not going to find.

I guess I’m more disappointed that I didn’t like it as much as I wanted to. I feel like this book could have been broken up into two novels. If you’re an aspiring new author, perhaps a 600+ page book with a complicated list of characters isn’t the way to start. This, by no means, deters me from reading more by this author, unless the next novel is equally as disappointing. Honestly, I may go back eventually and try to read it again to see if a second time will more easily capture my attention.

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diablo3-reading“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” 
– Dr. Seuss

 

Book Review: Magic of Dimmingwood Trilogy

Magic of Dimmingwood TrilogyThief’s Curse by C. Greenwood
My rating: [rating=4]
(Read this review on Goodreads instead)

All three books were gifted to me by the author and, while I wanted to write a review upon completion of each book, I decided to defer until the end. I did this for a couple of reasons. 1) I was enjoying the books so much I didn’t want to hesitate between each book. 2) All three books are very cohesive so writing individual reviews would begin to feel redundant. It feels more beneficial to write a review that encompasses the entire Magic of Dimmingwood trilogy.

If you are familiar with the Legends of Dimmingwood series, written by the same author, then this trilogy is a prequel to those books. It will tell the story of Ilan’s parents (perhaps even where she got her name). The mystery of that amazing runed bow. It starts with the story of two boys of affluent birth whose family was betrayed by nefarious politicians. After their father’s execution, Luka and Ferran escape the tower and flee to Selibus. They take on new identities while befriending a magicker girl who will help them reach the Dimmingwood forest. However a guild of thieves, and their ruthless leader, also stand in their way and will change their lives forever.

A Cohesive Story and Very Well Written

One thing I have noticed about the author, C. Greenwood, is that she pumps out books quickly. Sometimes that can be detrimental, especially if the books are part of a series. However, that is not the case here. The books are so cohesive you would think she released them all at the same time. The tone between each book never changes; it feels more like starting a new chapter than starting the next book. All the relevant characters are well written and endearing. You will care what happens to all of them.

If you haven’t read the Legends of Dimmingwood books yet then I would recommend starting here first. I have only read the first book (Magic of Thieves) and Ilan was the only name I remembered. I have read quite a few fantasy novels since reading Magic of Thieves so it’s difficult for me to keep all the characters sorted out in my head. This worked to my benefit; not remembering who her parents were preserved the mystery of the story’s conclusion. Thus why I recommend reading the Magic of Dimmingwood trilogy first.

As I already mentioned, I have only read the first book in the Legends of Dimmingwood series but reading the rest of the books has definitely moved farther in on my radar.

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diablo3-reading“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”
– Dr. Seuss

 

Book Review: Clash of Catalysts

Clash of CatalystsClash of Catalysts by C. Greenwood
My rating: [rating=4]
(See this review on Goodreads.)

The last two books of this series were hard to put down. There was action and uncertainty from beginning to end and, to be honest, it took me a little while to warm up to the characters. In fact, I didn’t really feel that emotional investment until book 3. I will warn you, there are spoilers ahead!

I think Geveral remains my favorite character from the series, though Orrick did redeem himself, perhaps the author’s intention. The author surprised me as to Eydis’ fate; I was expecting something much different. When the villain, Rathnakar, is slain I began to ponder; how does an author decide how they will kill the main antagonist? Rathnakar’s demise was stated rather matter-of-factly, which I didn’t seem to mind.

I did quite enjoy the series and I would recommend them to anyone that enjoys decent fantasy. They are a fairly quick read. One big criticism I have is I felt like the role the “Catalysts” had may have been overstated in comparison to role they actually played. I was expecting a more extraordinary contribution. Eydis’ abilities were helpful, but I was expecting more from her “life touch” ability to play a role in the final battle. I just kind of felt like all the emphasis on the catalyst became a bit of a let down.

A Potential Spinoff?

There is a great opportunity to have a spinoff book or series featuring Geveral. In fact I would love to see that happen. I feel like his abilities weren’t properly highlighted, but it was pretty cool that he provided the killing blow. I also expected there to be more to the story that would clear Orrick’s name.

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Book Review: Star Wars Aftermath

Star Wars AftermathAftermath by Chuck Wendig
My rating: [rating=5]

I have been trying to get back into Star Wars books for a while now; I just kept finding other great books to read (*cough* Kubrick’s Game *cough*). Star Wars Aftermath is the first post-Return of the Jedi book that takes place within the new canon, therefore it’s pretty high on my list. I know some Star Wars fans are probably surprised that I would prioritize this book so high. Disney stepped on quite a few toes when they declared all other canon defunct (post-ROTJ). This is something I discuss in a separate post. Be that as it may, I’m one of those open-minded fans and I was willing to give this book a chance.

I try to avoid mentioning any spoilers; I prefer that people use my book reviews as an aid on deciding if it’s a book they would like to read. The point I am about to make isn’t really a spoiler but it is noteworthy. If you are expecting a book about where the Jedi go after the Emperor is destroyed, that isn’t what this book is about. In fact the Force has very little to do with any of the characters. The author takes us on a journey through the eyes of several different characters during the aftermath of the Battle of Endor.

Book Review: Mistress of Masks

Mistress of Masks (Catalysts of Chaos #1)Mistress of Masks by C. Greenwood
My rating: [rating=4]
(Click here to go to Goodreads)

Honestly, I was struggling for a while to write a review since I finished Mistress of Masks. Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoyed the book, I just didn’t know what to say because I’ve been reading several fantasy novels lately. In fact the fantasy novel I finished just before this book was written by the same author. So there isn’t more I can say that I haven’t already said.

Obviously I enjoy her work so far since I jumped right into another book and I will be reading Betrayer of Blood next. The read feels connected quicker with Eydis, Geveral and even Orrick than I did with the protagonists in Magic of Thieves. Keep in mind the Dimmingwood books are a much longer series than Catalysts of Chaos, and I intend to read both series in their entirety. Eydis’ powers are more intriguing than Ilan’s, although the elusiveness of Ilan’s powers also makes for a compelling reason to continue reading. In fact I can even see some parallels between Geveral and Ilan. My suggestion would be to read both books to better understand what I mean.

Mistress of Masks is a good, old fashioned fantasy novel, much like the others I have read. Greenwood is in good company when you consider the fact that the other fantasy authors I have read are Christine Golden, R. A. Salvatore, etc. If you are not receiving her newsletters, I would strongly encourage you to sign up; I’m glad I signed up for her newsletter so I will continue to receive opportunities to read ARC copies of her books and learn more about the plans she has for future novels.

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diablo3-readingThe more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.
– Dr. Seuss

Book Review: Magic of Thieves

Magic of Thieves (Legends of Dimmingwood, #1)Magic of Thieves by C. Greenwood
My rating: [rating=4]
(Click here to read this review on Goodreads)

I really enjoy reading random fantasy books by authors that are either up and coming or I’m not extremely familiar with. C Greenwood has been writing books for, what appears to be, 4 years. Magic of Thieves was her first book published back in 2012.  I started following C Greenwood on Twitter and I signed up for her newsletter which is how I acquired a copy of her book.

I’ll admit that it took me a couple of chapters to get into the book. I should make an effort to read the brief description of books just so I have an idea of where the story might take me. The more I learned about Ilan as she adapted to her life with The Hand and his band of thieves the more I became intrigued by the destiny that awaits her. I have to admit that I think my favorite flavor of fantasy characters is sorcery.

Once I reached the end of Magic of Thieves I had decided that the Legends of Dimmingwood would be making it into my book budget. If you are interested in a great story, this book is a quick read. As of the time of this review it is available for free as a Kindle ebook on Amazon.

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diablo3-readingThe more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.
– Dr. Seuss

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