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elliot_nicholson's reviews
20 reviews
Before They Are Hanged by Joe Abercrombie
adventurous
dark
funny
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
4.75
Rhythm of War by Brandon Sanderson
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-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
3.75
Kings of Paradise by Richard Nell
dark
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
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
4.75
Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The Hunger of the Gods by John Gwynne
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
fast-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? It's complicated
4.75
The Sword of Kaigen by M.L. Wang
emotional
slow-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
For a character driven plot this book is populated by remarkably uninteresting people. As opposed to watching them act and respond to the world around them, this book constantly and plainly explains their inner feelings. They could at least think about something interesting along with their boring lives but we are deprived of this also. Is the point that we are to feel as depressed and exhausted as the main character herself? I understand that we are viewing a conservative patriarchal society from a female perspective, but must we trudge through so much mundane dialogue with toddlers? The book has “sword” in the title with a cool warrior person looking at a mountain on the cover. Warning: this is false advertising. Inexplicably everyone talks like an American teenager and the majority of the dialogue feels like page filler. Which is bizarre because the book is already padded by a spectacular amount of exposition undeserved for a stand alone novel. I started this book because I wanted to read about a high fantasy Asian inspired world and I got a bloated patchwork of disparate and confusing ideas about female agency in a conservative society, the impact of trauma on untreated mental health, domestic abuse and apparently… teenage superheroes. There is an interesting plot hidden in here but it isn’t my job to decipher it. I don’t know what this book is about despite holding out to the end in the vain hope that something would “click”. It didn’t.
The Rage of Dragons by Evan Winter
adventurous
tense
medium-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
3.5
For the audio version, Prentice Onayemi as narrator is outstanding. Honestly, the narration pulled me through an enjoyable but otherwise uninspiring coming-of-age vengeance story. Familiar tropes function to guide you through an interesting world, but I probably won’t pick up the sequel.
Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-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
4.75
The Shadow of the Gods by John Gwynne
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-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