brenticus's reviews
681 reviews

The Secret of the Old Mill by Franklin W. Dixon

adventurous lighthearted mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

These boys are far too comfortable having revolvers pointed at them.

The Girl With No Reflection by Keshe Chow

adventurous emotional mysterious 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

2.0

I'm really not sure how much I enjoyed this book. Like, it was fine and when I would sit down to read it would just fly by, but it was also so frustrating. The characters are mostly dumb or traitorous in the most predictable ways, the main conflict just kind of putters along with minimal real agency from any of the protagonists until the end, the romance is just annoying with how much Ying waffles over everything...

It's littered with annoyances, but at the same time it was a fairly straightforward read and I enjoyed it for what it was. 

Mashle: Magic and Muscles, Vol. 18 by Hajime Komoto

adventurous funny hopeful fast-paced

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

4.0

I quite like this finale. Bits of the fight with Innocent Zero don't seem to make perfect sense (like, as much as is possible) but generally it has the awesome impact of Mashle's fight scenes along with the absurd, hilarious feats mixed in when needed to lighten the mood. It's nice to see a couple of chapters of a denouement at the end for some extra goofiness, as well.

Mashle is a fun series. Sometimes it takes itself too seriously for too long, sometimes it gets a bit too deep into the power of friendship stuff, but a dude getting so buff that he can use a continent as a flutterboard is just pure fun.

Mashle: Magic and Muscles Vol. 17 by Hajime Kōmoto

adventurous funny fast-paced

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

5.0

In a way, this volume is peak Mashle: solid shonen battle scenes, garbage people suddenly finding redemption, and Mash doing dumb nonsense that has me laughing. The door scenes will never not be funny to me, just absolutely has me rolling.

The House on the Cliff by Franklin W. Dixon

adventurous tense fast-paced

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

3.0

I almost by default enjoy reading these, but man it's weird reading about some young teens breaking up a smuggling ring, fighting with murderous adults, getting shot at... The vibe is very different than the first book.

Mashle: Magic and Muscles Vol. 16 by Hajime Komoto

adventurous funny tense fast-paced

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

5.0

"None of this makes even the slightest bit of sense!!" - Finn Ames: Friend, Colour Commentary, Genius, Prophet

Mashle: Magic and Muscles, Vol. 15 by Hajime Komoto, Hajime Komoto

adventurous funny tense fast-paced

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

4.0

Finally, the protagonist, Ryoh Grantz, arrives. 

Also: "Take this and feel better. It's a cream puff. Only half-eaten." lmao

Mashle: Magic and Muscles, Vol. 14 by Hajime Komoto, Hajime Komoto

adventurous lighthearted fast-paced

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

3.0

This last sequence of a series of shonen boss battles is a bit formulaic and the comedy only shows up every now and then. Lemon's fight is probably the best if only because immediately freeing and adopting the dogs is funny as heck. 

The bonus panels are peak in this volume, though. Absolutely killed me.

The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels

informative fast-paced

3.0

Finally reading Marx and Engels' words on socialism and its progression is enlightening in many ways, and this is such a quick read that it's pretty much worthwhile for anyone to read through. I will say that there isn't a lot of meat to this - it is actually a manifesto, putting forth the ideas and comparing to others and advocating for a new future the authors are seeking, but lacking a lot of the theory, history, and economics behind it.

I May Be a Guild Receptionist, but I'll Solo Any Boss to Clock Out on Time, Vol. 4 by Mato Kousaka

adventurous emotional 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

3.0

To some extent the overarching plot feels like it shows up out of nowhere, with a side character suddenly showing up and masterminding a huge conflict partway through. Also it almost feels like the volume dodged every possible way to move the narrative forward, so there are a few ways in which it feels like I was cheated out of more progress.

But generally I think the stuff with magic and the Dark Guild are interesting (although a bit odd) additions to the world, and it's nice to finally get the background on why Lowe is so sketchy. Alina and Jade are fun to follow as always. The overtime never ends.