Reviews tagging 'War'

The Frugal Wizard's Handbook for Surviving Medieval England by Brandon Sanderson

20 reviews

rehtaehwashere's review against another edition

adventurous funny hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

 

• What I liked: I liked the play on Norse mythology with the magic in the alternate universe he ends up in. I like that both the
  cop he's friends with and the gang he was actually in 
    are full of trash people which is very realistic. I liked that in the end he got to
  stay with Sefawynn without hurting the wights
  . Really concerned about what that alternate universe's Loki is doing
  with his laptop though that's sus as hell and very in character for him
  . I liked the version of Vikings in this book, too, and that the magic of this world was in being able to read, but it was done in a way that wasn't childish cringe/tacky but in a way that actually worked really really well
• What I disliked: It was misleading in the title in that it sounded like fantasy-fiction which is what he TYPICALLY WRITES and was actually science fiction. That
  it started off convincing us 
  the main character is a cop in a sci-fi novel which almost made me DNF it
• Overall thoughts: A really cool book with an interesting take on alternate universes and that supposedly magic isn't real in any of them
  and yet he found the one real fantasy world
  . The cross over between sci-fi and fantasy that happened in this book.
  That it WASN'T the cop book it felt like it was in the beginning and that the romance in the book wasn't the whole point of the book but it was a nice side plot.
    That the whole book was the main character redefining who he is to himself and eventually figures out who he wants to be and
  helps save this alternate reality and build a home there where he felt wanted and appreciated.
    Finding himself and making a home
• Recommend to a friend? Y but would depend on the friend

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment

Moderate: Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Death

brogancha's review against another edition

adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Colonisation

Minor: Violence, War, and Injury/Injury detail

navyredrose's review

adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Religious bigotry, and Pandemic/Epidemic

amphibianwitch's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

2.25

Ha sido un poco decepcionante, pero me cuesta desgranar por qué. Por un lado, creo que había demasiada información: el worbu de cifi, el worbu religioso, el worbu del medievo, el pasado del protagonista... demasiadas cosas que explicarle al lector en lugar de desarrollar la historia y a los personajes.

Pero es que por otro lado tampoco creo que la historia y los personajes fueran tan interesantes. El grupo está compuesto del protagonista inútil pero que al final triunfa, la chica que está para ser el interés amoroso y el tipo grande, fuerte y estoico. Cada vez que aparecía un personaje más interesante (como Thokk o Yazad), tenía un peso poco relevante en la trama. (view spoiler)

En cuanto a la historia, el tema de los vikingos es que no me importaba mucho. Colocar a un grupo de "invasores" como enemigos, pero de los que no sabemos nada, pues no sé, me parece raro en Sanderson. Es un recurso un poco vago. Y en general el final no me ha parecido que diera los frutos que se iban sembrando durante la historia. No sé, si tienes que empezar la última pelea, la que debería tener una gran carga emocional y culminar la evolución del prota, explicando cosas del contexto... a mí ya me has perdido.

Aún así había ideas que molaban en esta historia. La cifi, Logna, la idea de los concursos multidimensionales y las partes humorísiticas (Sir Runian von Internet, ¡yo te Nintendo!). Una de las mejores cosas, y que ha hecho que no me diera pereza avanzar con el libro, ha sido la increíble interpretación de Francesc Belda (que también disfruté muchísimo en Trenza del Mar Esmeralda) y de Belén Roca.

Pero no sé, en general me ha aburrido.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, and War

Minor: Misogyny, Sexism, Slavery, and Religious bigotry

sassmistress's review against another edition

adventurous funny mysterious fast-paced

5.0

Five stars, page turner. Anything I say will be a spoiler but I'm a sucker for SFF that can make me laugh. Very original concept with some good old tropes like "wakes up with no memories" and side comment footnotes. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Cursing, Death, Blood, and Murder

Minor: Suicide attempt and War

Cursing infrequent, includes such words as "he**" and "hot d***", plus one "arse" and 2 occurrences in another language. Also a few invented curses.

Romantic content:

Past tense girlfriend. Budding relationship with hand holding, horseback riding "pressed together", she-smells-good, and general sappiness.

Spiritual content:

Norse-ish gods are real--some discussed, one acting unseen, and one corporeal. Brownie stories (called "wights" in this book) real and acted out daily. The wights are shadow-like and accept small offerings in exchange for favors.

obtoosegoose's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful lighthearted reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

The amnesia felt like a convenience rather than a driving plot point.  A cute story. Feels more like an amateur fan fic than a fully developed novel. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Gun violence, Blood, Murder, and War

Minor: Suicide and Suicide attempt

iono's review against another edition

adventurous funny fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Death, Gun violence, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Murder and Colonisation

sinoclock's review against another edition

adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I had a lot of fun reading this. I wish there was going to be another book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, and Blood

Moderate: Death and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Bullying, Infidelity, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, and War

steffiraquel's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny inspiring lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child death, Gore, Mental illness, Self harm, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, and Colonisation

walkie_check's review against another edition

adventurous emotional lighthearted tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, and Murder

Moderate: Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Child death, Death, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Self harm, Slavery, Xenophobia, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Murder, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail