Mistborn: The Final Empire - Brandon Sanderson

My word! I managed to finish a book in the five minutes a day I now get to read. That's the five minutes between getting into bed and passing out exhausted every night. My training course is intense and is keeping my very busy. I'm loving what I do though so nothing to fear there. Onwards to Sanderson's novel then...

This is the first high fantasy book I have read in a long time. I read it as a paperback (not on kindle *shock*) and I must say, it was a blinder. The plot kept me guessing throughout and there are some twists and turns that I didn't see coming. I was left guessing until the very end when the resolution happened and this left me a happy reader. I love to keep guessing, I detest obvious plot and this novel was far from that.

The world-building in the novel is right where it should be. I invested a lot of time reading the six hundred or so pagesof it and every one was worth it. The world was well thought out, highly developed and above all, believeable. The split between the nobility and peasent class, or Skaa, is well thought out and there is enough information to show the vastness of the world. The 'magic' system is like nothing I have ever read before, it was well balanced and had enough limitations to make it real. Top marks from me Sanderson, well done.

I shall also touch on character, which as you know, is a thing close to my heart. All the characters are believeavle, if not likeable (and most of them are). At first, one of the protagonists, Kelsier, appears to be a bit of a 'Mary Sue' type, like Kvothe in Rothfuss's The Name of the Wind but it soon becomes apparent that this is not the case, his flaws are just hidden to begin with. I do like a character with flaws, it makes them that much more real to me. The trials that he and his friends face are real and they each act according to their talents.

I'm going to leave it there for this novel, just leave with the final note of how much I liked it. It was a welcome change from some of the rubbish fantasy I have read. Go and read it, it is well worth the time investing in.

Queen of Alendeortor - Jan Doncom

This post is brought to you from my iPad while in the comfort of my own bed! Sundays are the best. Not sure about the blogger app as yet but we shall see how that goes.

I had a random email asking me to review a book, which was a lovely ego boost by the way, first time that has ever happened.  I was more than happy to do so but had to tell the author I was training to be a teacher (and reading the Dark Tower) and that it may be a while. Then I got this dental abscess thing and all I could do was read and sleep. So, here we are in all its honesty, as requested.

It didn't take me long to read this novel and that's because I enjoyed it. It wasn't a chore to read like some books I have had in the past. The characters were easy to care for and there was no initial getting to know you period. The protagonist is an underdog in his society, a bonkers one at that, and from the moment the book starts your on his side. His cast of 'sidekicks' are equally as rounded and balanced. They all have their flaws and that makes them believable, a lot of effort has gone into this characters and that really pays off.

The plot and pacing of the novel work well too. The reader is drawn in from the first chapter and taken on a whirlwind race through the story. The action is portrayed well and the plot has significant twists and turns to keep most readers attention. It's not the most inventive plot in the world but it has enough to be a decent standing point.

The novel isn't all perfect however, there are some areas that could use improving, as with most novels. Another round of editing and proofreading would solve the grammar and spelling mistakes that I spotting. There were not hundreds of them however there were enough to warrant me making a point of it. It would also rid the novel of some clumsy sentences, which can only be a good thing. I also spotted a loop hole where one of the characters kills a child of sixteen. The next page goes on to say how he has been considered an adult from fourteen. They are of the same race then this seems a bit strange to me.

My next issue was with the world building. The concept was fantastic and the small details that were the helped paint a lovely picture of the places the characters lived, however I believe, that the world could have been developed further. If you pardon the cliche, the devil really is in the detail and I like to know a lot about the places characters live. What is there is good but it needs more information and more development. This tendency to gloss over important details is evident in other parts of the novel too, I just feel that as I have invested time into reading the novel, time should also be invested in really bringing the world to life. It may come at the sacrifice of a bit of pace but most fantasy readers relish those details that transport them to another world. This is, after all, the reason we read them.

All in all, I enjoyed reading the novel and shall be following the author to see if she writes and more. It will be interesting to see where she takes this good start.

Follow the Stone (An Emmett Love Western) - John Locke

I have once again strayed into the realms of the Western for entertainment dear readers, this time from a recommendation by a friend who said this book was an easy read and even better, it was free. Free being the magical word in this time of austerity I decided to take her up on the offer and give it a go.

It wasn't a bad read either. I do enjoy a good Western and this novel isn't shy on that count. The details are all there and the characters all counted for - a cool gunslinger, a fiesty maiden and a bunch of whores, lets not forget the Indians and the cowboys either. Mix this up with an intricate setting and you've got yourself all you need for a Western novel. The characters are easily recognised and fairly simple too. There is no great need for understanding with this novel, the characters do what is expected of them and I feel this simplicity is part of the enjoyment I took. I knew I wasn't going to be reading a gret epic from the first page but this didn't put me off at all. I knew the hero was going to end up sleeping with at least one of the prostitutes during the journey and I knew there was going to be some form of change on his part too - that's what story is after all right?

The plot of the novel is somewhat predictable however and I found I could guess what was going to happen before the words appeared. Most of the time I would find this annoying however in this novel, because I knew what I was getting, I found it was a good thing. John Locke may be the first 'kindle millionnaire' but he hasn't written a great masterpiece nor shocked the world with beautifully crafted writting.

I liked this novel for all its simplicity and I didn't pay a penny for it which was nice - which is a good thing. If you want a simple easy throw-away read, this is the book for you. If you want some hardcore detailed writing with fast paced fights and gunslinging wizards, go and read The Dark Tower series... Until next time!!

Teacher Training, Time and Stephen King

I have been rather busy of late. I am into my third week of teacher training and I am enjoying every minute of it. Even the planning and the work I have to bring home. I love anticipating what the children are going to get from my lessons and what their reactions will be. Consequently, I have had far less time to read but don't get me wrong, I am still reading

I also have to confess I am re-reading some of The Dark Tower as I fell in love with it the first time and sometimes you just need something that you love. I have consummed The Drawing of the Three and have nearly finished The Wastelands. Here are my thoughts on the second reading:

I still love it. I have still ploughed through and read far too late into the night. The language is still fabulous and yet easy to read and the plot as gripping as it was the first time. This time however, I have the benefit of being able to read a bit slower as I know what is going to happen. I can savour the action scenes without reading at a break-neck pace to see who lives and who dies. My goodness they are wonderful! The metaphor and similies are enough to make the English fanatic in me die a bit (in happiness) and yet, it isn't overpowering or obnoxious.

I also noticed how creepy one of the characters in The Wastelands is the one pictured above. Blaine makes the above novel look more like a horror than a fantasy novel. The mental train verges onto the point of being terrifying and the warnings written by Jake at the start of the novel should be heeded. I won't say too much but I will lament my complete imeptitude at riddles. I'm just glad I wasn't on that mono!

That said, I should get back to these lesson plans, they won't complete themselves! I hope I can keep reading when I can.

The Last Arguement of Kings - Joe Abercrombie

So, I have finished the trilogy for the second time and I must say, I am as pleased with it this time as I was last time.





The final book is as good as the other two and although there has been some wide discussion about the ending of the novel, I found that I was still pleased with it. It is in keeping with the rest of the book and suits the themes that Abercrombie has chosen to work with. The ending may not seem fair to many readers however, I would point out that nothing in these books are fair. There is only one person who seems to come off better than they started (I'm not saying who) and when you really think about it, you're not really sure if that's the case. The ending is a good point for discussion and I look forward to discussing it at some lengths with the significant other when he gets round to reading it for himself.

Once more, the characters in the novel are fab and there is no telling who is going to be alive after the many many fights there are. It doesn't seem to matter how good, or bad, they are at fighting, luck plays a healthy part in the novel and it works well. I've not touched really on magic in the series yet as it appears to play a minor role for the most part. The magician character seems to start off nice but soon descends to the levels of the more base characters, especially with what you learn in the final part of the series. However, the magic system is well thought out and the details are woven into the story so when it comes to the forefront it appears to have been there all along.

The only thing that I found to be a bit of a drag in this final part of the trilogy was the many many many fight scenes. There are loads of them and after the fifth I found they were a bit wearisome to read. They are well written and also essential to the plot but I got tired of reading them. That said, it is not something that detracted from the overall enjoyability of the trilogy and I would suggest you go and read them, they are a delight.

Before They are Hanged - Joe Abercrombie

It seems my ability to consume books has returned seeing how I finished this number in just over a day - I did sleep as well so don't go accusing me of staying up all night to read!





I have mentioned before how much I enjoy Joe Abercrombie's work and the main reason for this is his characterisation. I mentioned a couple before and as promised, here are my thoughts on one of the strongest in the series. I could hardly talk about the series and leave out the grumbling bitter Inquisitor could I? I try to ask myself why I like the character so much. He's sarcastic to the point of scathing and more bitter than sucking on a whole bunch of lemons. If I knew him in the real world, he'd drive me crazy - in the bad way. That said, his internal monologue and jaded view of his world had me laughing out loud and agreeing with some of his opinions. If there is someone who needs to catch a break, its this guy.

Moving on from Sand dan Glokta. World-building! Once again, the depth of detail that Abercrombie goes into with the different parts of his world are fabulous. There is just the right amount to keep the reader interested; I was never bored while I was reading about the ruins some of the characters travel through. I never found an author who could make sand seem interesting and yet, there I was, captivated. The depth of the myths in the novel are brilliant too and they lend a depth to the novel that is missing in so many I have read. The world is a cruel place and this is mirrored in the events that have happened in the past. I don't want to ruin it for you by telling you what happens, I just urge you to go and find out for yourself, it is worth it.

The plot in this part of the trilogy isn't brain busting and isn't going to reinvent the wheel. That said, it isn't exactly predictable either and despite this being a re-read for me, I kept turning the pages (clicking the button) because I needed to know what happened next. Most of the details I have forgotten as I read it over two years back. For it to do this a second time goes it show the staying power of this novel.

I can't say much more than go and find a copy and give it a go!

The Blade Itself - Joe Abercrombie

I knew I had to read something amazing coming off the back of the last set of books I read. I know I am going to miss those characters so I decided to go with something I have read before but never reviewed.

I love the characters in The Blade Itself. I remember them being amazing the first time round and the second they are just as well written, if not likable. I had forgotten how arrogant and exactly how much of a whinge-bag the noble character was. It was hard to sympathise with his petty complaints but that didn't mean he was awful to read about. if anything, he highlights the genuine struggle of some of the other characters. The reason I have a lasting appreciation of the swordsman illustrated on the cover there, is his loving the small things that we all take for granted: safety, food, a hot bath. These little things bring a tear to his eye and I found that rather heartwarming - Say one thing of Logan Ninefingers, say he appreciates the small things...

Don't get me wrong, this isn't a book for the faint hearted. The world in which it is set is a cruel broken one; the discarded wrecks of it's folly lie shattered throughout the novel, from the broken inquisitor (my favourite character, more on that next time) to the wreckage of government failings. The world is as flawed as our own and I was shocked to be reminded of how well it has been crafted. The inherent racism within the novel and the ignorance of the nobility that goes with it was well written and there wasn't a time when I was jolted out of the world by a jarring word or someone doing something irregular.

The one thing I will say about the book is that there is not much resolution at the close, there is a little but this really is a set up book for the rest of the trilogy. If you're after a stand alone then this isn't the book for you. That said, I already know how awesome the rest of the novels are and they are worth reading. The language of the book is perfect, its not so simple to be boring yet neither is it complex. Joe Abercombie has found the right balance between character and plot to make this novel a real page turner. I'd recommend it to anyone!