Narilka's 2016 TBR Challenge

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Narilka's 2016 TBR Challenge

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1Narilka
Editado: Dez 1, 2016, 10:23 pm

What a great idea! This is my first time joining this challenge. In 2015 I made it one of my goals to read more from my TBR pile and didn't do as good of a job as I would have liked. Hopefully this will give me motivation for 2016.

Primary
1. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas ✔7/1/16
2. Fool's Errand by Robin Hobb ✔8/31/16
3. The Book Theif by Markus Zusak ✔4/15/16
4. Turn of Light by Julie Czerneda
5. Killing Patton by Bill O'Reilly ✔8/22/16
6. All Things Bright and Beautiful by James Herriot
7. Love Saves the Day by Gwen Cooper ✔3/4/16
8. Monstrous Regiment by Terry Pratchett ✔3/19/16
9. Foreigner by C. J. Cherryh
10. Here We Go Again by Betty White ✔1/3/16
11. Return of the Crimson Guard by Ian C. Esslemont
12. Before They Are Hanged by Joe Abercrombie

Secondary
1. Golden Fool by Robin Hobb ✔9/16/16
2. Fool's Fate by Robin Hobb ✔10/2/16
3. Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson ✔12/1/16
4. Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey
5. Fool Moon by Jim Butcher ✔1/23/16
6. Cat Raise the Dead by Shirley Rousseau Murphy
7. The Merchant Emperor by Elizabeth Haydon
8. Four by Veronica Roth ✔2/17/16
9. Digital Fortress by Dan Brown
10. The Bone Palace by Amanda Downum
11. Good to Great by Jim Collins
12. Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay

Edited to add lists. I think I'm all set.

2artturnerjr
Dez 11, 2015, 2:13 pm

>1 Narilka:

Welcome! Looking forward to seeing your lists. :)

3Cecrow
Editado: Dez 11, 2015, 2:43 pm

To judge from your library and name, I'm expecting to see some fantasy titles here - fun!

Edit: Oops, maybe not the name, I thought it was a reference to Nerilka's Story but the spelling's a bit off.

4Narilka
Dez 11, 2015, 3:49 pm

>2 artturnerjr: thanks!

>3 Cecrow: You're close :) It is from CS Friedman's Coldfire Trilogy. It was a side character and I really liked the name. And yep, I'm a big fantasy fan. Maybe some day I'll try out that McCaffery book.

While this is a targeted list I will also be joining the Club Read for 2016 for my full reading log. Several years back I made it a goal to start writing reviews of the books I read and I'm happy to say I've continued that ever since. You can expect to see those show up here as well.

5majkia
Dez 11, 2015, 4:15 pm

Welcome. I have yet to read Julie Czerneda. Love Robin Hobb and good to see another Malazan fan.

6LittleTaiko
Dez 11, 2015, 4:17 pm

The Count of Monte Cristo is one of my all time favorite books. Hope you enjoy it!

7Narilka
Dez 11, 2015, 4:49 pm

>5 majkia: Thanks! The Malazan series is one of my all time favorites. I finished the 10 book epic last year. Now I'm going back to read some of Esselmont's books. I'm really looking forward to Erickson's new series too. Even though one book is out I think I'm going to wait for him to finish the trilogy before starting.

>6 LittleTaiko: I hope so too. I've been meaning to read it for a while. No more excuses.

8artturnerjr
Dez 11, 2015, 5:23 pm

The only one of your authors I've read is Dan Brown, although I have books by Pratchett and Abercrombie buried in Mt. TBR somewhere. Very curious to hear your thoughts on Killing Patton. Oh, and who doesn't love the amazing Betty White? :)

9.Monkey.
Dez 11, 2015, 5:25 pm

Love Monte Cristo, have fun with that! :D The rest of your list is pretty much unknown to me, haha.

10Narilka
Dez 12, 2015, 12:32 pm

>8 artturnerjr: If you enjoy clever satire it's hard to go wrong with Pratchett's Discworld. I've been slowly reading my way through the series for several years now. Maybe one of his books will make your list in the future.

>9 .Monkey.: :)

11Cecrow
Dez 14, 2015, 8:13 am

I read a few by Robin Hobb and was satisfied, but I can understand pursuing her further. Pratchett has made several 2016 lists, seems he's more popular than ever. I believe that's a Cherryh classic but I haven't read it. Finished the ten Malazan books but I only read the summaries of Esslemont's work, lol.

I liked Mistborn and Kushiel's Dart very much, the start of two very good series. I hear good stuff about Butcher all the time. Haydon was okay. Guy Gavriel Kay ... oh, very good author and title!

12abergsman
Dez 14, 2015, 2:25 pm

Welcome! The Book Thief is one of those books that has stayed with me for a long time. It was definitely a memorable read.

13billiejean
Dez 21, 2015, 12:19 pm

Nice list! I read Fool Moon last year, and it was lots of fun. I am reading one Jim Butcher's books each year.

14Narilka
Dez 22, 2015, 11:52 am

>11 Cecrow: I admit I have some mixed feelings about Tigana. It seems like people either love it or hate it. It will be my first GGK book too.

>12 abergsman: Cool!

>13 billiejean: That's almost how I'm going through the Discworld, 2-3 a year when I want something funny to read.

15artturnerjr
Dez 23, 2015, 11:15 am

>10 Narilka:

Maybe one of his books will make your list in the future.

I certainly hope so. There seems to be a lot of love for him here on LT, which I always take to be a good sign. :)

16billiejean
Dez 30, 2015, 12:06 pm

This year, I'm reading my first Discworld book.

17Narilka
Dez 31, 2015, 1:34 pm

I was inspired by >15 artturnerjr: to take a photo of my TBR list. It's intimidating to see them all together.

18artturnerjr
Dez 31, 2015, 2:30 pm

>17 Narilka:

Cool! Looks like your Count of Monte Cristo is getting ready to crush everything else. :)

19billiejean
Jan 1, 2016, 2:28 pm

That's a great-looking stack of books.

20abergsman
Jan 2, 2016, 7:16 am

That is a hefty stack. Happy New Year!

21Narilka
Jan 2, 2016, 12:58 pm

Happy New Year everyone! Happy reading in 2016 and best of luck on all the challenges!

22LittleTaiko
Jan 3, 2016, 2:46 pm

Oh wow! Those are some thick looking books! Very impressive stack.

23Narilka
Jan 4, 2016, 3:53 pm

1. Here We Go Again by Betty White



Here We Go Again is the autobiography by Betty White covering her TV career from 1949-1995. The copy I have was revised in 2010 to include an additional introduction that briefly catches the reader up on events that have happened between the original publication and 2010 as well as a color photo section. The lady has had quite the career and is still going strong! Betty has pretty much done it all in the industry: sitcoms, talk shows, game shows, variety shows, stage acting, musicals, commercials and even several films. The book was an absolutely charming retelling of her career. Betty's love for work, animals and life in general really comes through and the book maintains that upbeat, cheerful tone throughout. We're also treated to a brief history of television as her career started just as TV was taking off. Things were definitely different back then. This was an enjoyable read and a great book to start the new year with.

Rating:

24LittleTaiko
Jan 4, 2016, 8:31 pm

Congrats on getting your first book read. Sounds like a good one - such a funny lady.

25Cecrow
Jan 5, 2016, 7:35 am

Gotta hand it to her how she can always roll with the times; that probably came across in the book. See her in anything now and you don't see a 1950s actress trying to "fit in", she's fully present in 2016.

26Narilka
Jan 5, 2016, 9:14 am

>24 LittleTaiko: Thanks!

>25 Cecrow: I agree, she's amazing like that. I'm glad I got around to reading her book finally. It might still have been waiting in the TBR pile if not for this challenge :)

27abergsman
Jan 5, 2016, 5:57 pm

Love Betty White, she is an amazing comedian/actor. She has a wicked sense of humor, one of the few that can have me rolling in hysterics in seconds.

28thebookmagpie
Jan 8, 2016, 8:07 am

>28 thebookmagpie: yeah, Betty White is brilliant. I loved her cameo in Community.

29Narilka
Jan 23, 2016, 5:03 pm

2. Fool Moon by Jim Butcher



Harry Dresden is down on his luck. One of his few friends and main sources of income refuses to talk to him. Just when things are so bad he can't afford his next meal there are murders in the city that need his kind of specialized expertise. The crime scene: a brutally mutilated corpse, large paw prints and it's a full moon. Take three guesses - and the first two don't count!

Fool Moon is the second book of The Dresden Files. This book is definitely a step up from Storm Front. The mystery in this one was more enjoyable and the writing over all is getting better. I think the fact that Harry is dealing with a werewolf being identified fairly early on frees up the writer to have more fun with the story. There are multiple suspects and more layers of motives to unravel rather than having a large focus on figuring out what kind of supernatural element is being dealt with.

The main characters could still use some work. For a such powerful and knowledgeable wizard, a point that is brought up several times, Harry Dresden sure doubts himself a lot. He's horrible with women, his witty banter is not always so witty and he beats himself up over things that aren't his fault. Still, there's a certain geeky charm about him. It's not until he hits rock bottom that Harry finds the strength he needs to get everyone through one tricky situation. Then there's Lieutenant Murphy. She is strong and capable but she's also short sited, close-minded and tends to jump to conclusions way too quickly for a detective who has been trained to follow the facts. I get her frustrations with Harry but it's also highly annoying at how inflexible and self righteous she is. Hopefully this is something that is worked out in the next book.

That said, the story is action packed and a fun page turner. There are some great one liners and I think Harry Dresden is heading in the right direction.

Rating:

30billiejean
Fev 3, 2016, 11:57 am

I think the Dresden books are fun, too, and read one each year.

31Narilka
Fev 17, 2016, 10:17 am

3. Four by Veronica Roth



Four is a collection of short stories and scene snippets set in the world of Divergent. They are all told from Tobias "Four" Eaton's point of view. The first story, The Transfer, tells us about Tobias' Choosing day and how he came to be a member of Dauntless. The second story, The Initiate, gives us the background on how Four choose his name and, like the title says, his initiation period into Dauntless. The third story, The Son, is about Four's first few weeks as a Dauntless member as he learns his place in their hierarchy and shows the beginning of events that unfold in Divergent. The fourth story, The Traitor, is set after Triss has become an initiate and further sets up events in Divergent. At the end there are three scene snippets of events that happen in Divergent told instead from Four's perspective.

Each story was interesting. I enjoyed Four's point of view and it was nice to go back to the Divergent world. This is a great read for fans of the series and anyone who wanted more insight into the character of Four.

Rating:

32abergsman
Fev 23, 2016, 10:33 am

>31 Narilka: I keep going back and forth as to when I would like to read the Divergent series. I hadn't realized there was a 4th book added to the trilogy.

33Cecrow
Fev 23, 2016, 10:39 am

I haven't read the trilogy, but I've seen that book and it strikes me as a money-grab when authors do this. Fans of the series however seem to think it's worth picking up, so maybe not. Can't be as bad as Twilight with the sex roles reversed, or Fifty Shades again from the guy's perspective.

34abergsman
Fev 23, 2016, 10:45 am

>33 Cecrow: I agree, it's always the worst when authors continue a series long past their original intent, to milk the "brand" for as much as its worth. Same can be said for certain movies. :-) It seems like in this case, though, it did add to the storyline.

35Narilka
Fev 24, 2016, 10:04 am

>32 abergsman: It's not really part of the trilogy, just an interesting addition. You can enjoy the series without reading it. There are minor series spoilers if you read it ahead of the trilogy though.

>33 Cecrow: According to the introduction by the author the original plan for Divergent was to be told from Four's point of view but after she started writing she found it just wasn't working. So she started over with Triss as the narrator, which worked much better and is the published series today. I think these were from that initial story that ended up scrapped.

In general I tend to agree with you and >34 abergsman: though, that these things can feel like an author running out of ideas and grabbing at anything to keep the gravy train going. It came in the box set I received of the series so I figured, why not give it a shot? I probably would not have bought and read it otherwise.

36Narilka
Mar 4, 2016, 12:03 pm

4. Love Saves the Day by Gwen Cooper



Prudence is a five-week-old kitten when she meets Sarah for the first time. She knew it as soon as they met: Sarah was to be here One Special Human forever and goes home with her. After three wonderful years the worst thing happens. Sarah doesn't come home one day. The next thing Prudence knows is all their things is in boxes and she's on her way to live with Sarah's estranged daughter, Laura. Suddenly finding herself in a new apartment with humans she barely knows Prudence thinks it could take years to get them properly trained. If only her Sarah would come back and take her home again so life can return to normal.

Love Saves the Day by Gwen Cooper is a story of hope and how the love of an animal can make us better humans. It's about how a mother and daughter became divided when their own lives were turned upside down on the day their own apartment was demolished and the feline who eventually unites them both. The story is told primarily from two points of view, Laura and Prudence, and also with two chapters from Sarah's perspective. The Prudence chapters are very well written. She has such a simple understanding of the world and her logic is explained beautifully. It is both heart breaking and joyful to read. Sarah's chapters are to fill in the backgrounds on Laura childhood and how she met Prudence, as well as insight into what it was like living on the Lower East Side. This contrasts nicely with present day Laura and how she's changed based on those events.

It's a beautiful story, one that pulls at the heart strings.

Rating:

37Narilka
Mar 19, 2016, 8:06 pm

5. Monstrous Regiment by Terry Pratchett



Polly Perks had to become a man in a hurry. Cutting her hair and donning men's clothes was easy. Learning fart and swear in public and to walk with a certain gait took a little longer. And all so she can find her brother Paul, who had gone to war a year ago and never returned. Aided by a pair of well placed socks Polly joins the army. After all, there is a war on. There's always war. The nation is in dire straights, willing to take just about anyone for the war effort. Next thing she knows Polly's squad is thrown into the thick of it, without any training, heading into the heart of the enemy. All they have on their side is a vampire, a troll, an Igor and a few other lads that joined up at the same time. It would also appear that Polly "Ozzer" Perks isn't the only one with a secret.

Monstrous Regiment is the 31st Discworld novel and the 3rd in the Industrial Revolution thread. This time around Pratchett tackles the ideas of gender roles, war, religious intolerance, the use of well placed socks and whether an entire nation could, in fact, be insane. Borogravia is an extremely backwater place. Their god, Nuggin, has increasingly come out with odder and odder "abominations". They have become so odd that the population has given up worshiping him and direct their prayers to the Duchess instead. They are also constantly at war with someone. This time it happens to be the neighboring country of Zlobenia. With the constant war, their economy is falling apart and there is a food shortage. Most recruiting parties leave villages empty handed. That is until Polly and the others decide to enlist. All of the "lads" join the army for various reasons, none of which have to do with patriotism.

We are introduced to some terrific new characters. Polly "Ozzer" Perks is a highly capable and resourceful young lady. She's smart, likable and a very fast learner in this mans army. Sargent Jackrum is an old time campaigner and manages to forge his group of little lads into a formidable fighting machine. Maladict the vampire has sworn off blood and transferred his addiction to coffee. Igor is out to prove he's a capable surgeon. There is also a troll, a religious fanatic and a pair of very close "friends", one of which has a fascination with matches. And each one of them has a secret.

It was a great read, highly entertaining. There are plenty of laugh out loud funny parts that blend seamlessly with more serious topics in only the way Pratchett can. This one will also make you think. There are even some great action scenes. While Monstrous Regiment could be read as a stand alone novel, if you would like to be "in" on the character cameos and extra references that always appear in Discworld novels I would recommend reading at least one Watch book and The Truth. It will not hurt the story at all if you don't though, it just adds that little something.

Rating:

38abergsman
Abr 10, 2016, 6:55 am

>36 Narilka: I'm a sucker for cat books, and that one looks good (cheesy title aside)!

39LittleTaiko
Abr 11, 2016, 10:06 am

>37 Narilka: - Okay, that does it, I'm definitely reading the first Discworld book later this week when I fly to Florida. It's one of many neglected e-books sitting on my iPad. Sounds like I've been missing out on quite a bit of fun.

40Cecrow
Abr 11, 2016, 11:27 am

>39 LittleTaiko:, I have it on my challenge for this year, though I've been told it's far from the best in the series and not to hold it against the rest too much. I've sampled a couple of others at random previously and had no problem enjoying the story.

41Narilka
Abr 12, 2016, 10:07 am

>39 LittleTaiko: I still haven't read the first one, though I did download it recently. Like >40 Cecrow: mentioned, I've heard it's not the best in the series. Still, I hope you enjoy it! Such a fun series.

42LittleTaiko
Abr 12, 2016, 11:22 am

>40 Cecrow: & >41 Narilka: - I will go into it with the appropriately lowered expectations then. :)

43abergsman
Abr 14, 2016, 2:17 pm

I also think I will be adding the first Discworld to my list next year. :)

44Narilka
Abr 15, 2016, 6:04 pm

I just finished The Book Thief. It's going to take a bit to gather my thoughts to write a review. What a beautiful and heartbreaking story. Was the movie any good?

45abergsman
Abr 15, 2016, 8:47 pm

>44 Narilka: That's exactly how I felt about The Book Thief. Beautiful but heartbreaking, and hard to put into words. It is one of my favorites, but I don't think I could ever read it again. I haven't watched the movie.

46Narilka
Abr 15, 2016, 9:09 pm

6. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak



It is 1939, Nazi Germany. Hitler is rising to power. Death has never been so busy. Liesel Meminger is on her way to her new foster family when her younger brother dies on the journey. At his graveside her life is changed forever when she picks up an object left forgotten in the snow. It is a book, The Grave Diggers Handbook, and it her first act of book thievery though she doesn't know it at the time. With the help of her foster father Liesel soon learns to read and so begins her love of books and words and the need to obtain more.

The Book Thief is the story of Liesel Meminger's childhood during a dark time of human history, WWII in Nazi Germany. Liesel finds herself stealing books from any place she can including a Nazi book burning and the mayor's library. Anything to feed her voracious appetite for words. The story is told with Death as the narrator which ended up being a brilliant choice. Death is exhausted by his job and the war which adds a different perspective to events. Zusak doesn't pull any punches. He gives us the reality of just how bad life is for everyone during this time, highlighting the Jews suffering with a different perspective on the Holocaust and that of the extreme poor in Germany. And yet he's managed to tell an absolutely beautiful and heartbreaking tale about the simple joys of childhood, love, courage, survival, friendship, death and grief. I feel completely in love with Liesel and her adopted family as well as the neighbor Rudy and poor Max. I was sad at the end both due to events, it is wartime, and knowing that my time with the characters was done. This is a book that's going to stay with me for a while and I'm sure to read again in the future.

Rating:

47Cecrow
Abr 18, 2016, 8:03 am

I tried watching the movie and couldn't get more than halfway through (I do that with most movies though, to be honest). She still wasn't much of a thief at that point, shouldn't a plot be rolling along by then? And it discards the whole "death as narrator" thing, which is too bad.

48billiejean
Abr 20, 2016, 1:06 pm

I did think the movie was good. I haven't read the book yet; however, so I can't compare the two.

49Narilka
Maio 19, 2016, 9:34 pm

My challenge has fallen by the wayside for a while. I'm in the process of studying for a professional certification and it's taking up all my spare time. Hopefully I'll be done soon and can get back on track!

50Cecrow
Maio 20, 2016, 8:19 am

Bah, life getting in the way! How dare it!

51artturnerjr
Maio 20, 2016, 9:06 am

>49 Narilka:

Good luck! Looking forward to seeing you again when you're able to return. :)

52abergsman
Maio 20, 2016, 10:18 am

I know all about life getting in the way of the TBR challenge. :-) I hope you can get back to it soon!

53LittleTaiko
Maio 20, 2016, 10:30 am

Good luck with the certification!

54billiejean
Maio 20, 2016, 4:42 pm

Yes, good luck with your certification!

55Narilka
Maio 20, 2016, 10:05 pm

Thanks everyone! I'll let you know if I pass :) Fingers crossed I'll be done in about month.

56Narilka
Jun 19, 2016, 6:11 pm

I passed the exam today!! I can get back to real life again :)

57Cecrow
Jun 20, 2016, 7:37 am

Hurrah, and welcome back! I was a good student in my school days, not sure how I'd fare at passing that sort of thing now whether professional or scholastic.

58Narilka
Jun 20, 2016, 8:52 am

It sucked lol I haven't been in that kind of learning mode in a long time. It was harder than I expected to get back into. I'm so glad I'm done.

59LittleTaiko
Jun 20, 2016, 11:43 am

Congratulations!!!

60billiejean
Jun 21, 2016, 12:19 pm

Congratulations! This calls for a celebration -- like reading a great book. :)

61Narilka
Jun 21, 2016, 1:34 pm

62LittleTaiko
Jun 21, 2016, 6:01 pm

That definitely qualifies as reading a great book. :)

63billiejean
Jun 23, 2016, 10:39 am

I agree. Great fun!

64artturnerjr
Jun 26, 2016, 8:13 pm

Congratulations! 8)

65Narilka
Jul 1, 2016, 11:21 am

Finished it! Such a great story. I'll get a review posted over the weekend.

66billiejean
Jul 1, 2016, 11:28 am

That was really fast. It is a great read.

67artturnerjr
Jul 1, 2016, 12:20 pm

>65 Narilka:

Impressive! Looking forward to hearing your thoughts.

68Narilka
Jul 1, 2016, 3:47 pm

7. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas



Young Edmond Dantes has everything: he's engaged to a beautiful woman, is about to be named captain of a ship and is well liked by his peers. This perfect life is shattered when Edmond is framed for a crime he didn't commit and thrown into prison for the rest of his life. After fourteen years of suffering an opportunity to escape presents itself and Edmond takes full advantage of it. With his freedom obtained, Edmond is ready to put his plans for revenge against those who wronged him in motion.

The Count of Monte Cristo is the timeless tale of adventure, love, betrayal and revenge. It's was so much fun to read, I don't know why I waited so long. The story starts off slow and then gains momentum once Edmond is thrown in prison. Soon after events are moving at a very fast pace making the story quite a page turner. My favorite part is while Edmond is in prison gaining his education from the Abbot. It is this education that allows Edmond to so carefully plan out his revenge. And boy is he thorough! I was surprised at the many Oriental references and influences in the book. It helps to lend an exotic edge to the Count's character that makes him so interesting once he returns to France. The Count himself is a great, multi faceted character in general. It's a shame most of the other characters are not so complete.

My copy is an abridged version. At the end it has a summary of the parts that were cut out. Seems like I only missed out on some of the meandering side stories while the main tale was left intact. I do enjoy Dumas's style of prose so I'm sure those parts are just as entertaining to read. I may need to look for an unabridged version for a reread.

Rating:

69artturnerjr
Jul 1, 2016, 4:36 pm

>68 Narilka:

Fantastic. I keep seeing The Count of Monte Cristo referred to as one of the main prototypes of the superhero genre; for that reason, if for no other, I feel the need to read it, and soon. 8)

70Narilka
Jul 1, 2016, 4:51 pm

>69 artturnerjr: I could see that. The Count could be seen as a Batman type.

71.Monkey.
Jul 1, 2016, 5:23 pm

>69 artturnerjr: You really should, it is excellent!

72artturnerjr
Jul 1, 2016, 7:09 pm

>70 Narilka:

Ha! Here's what the wonderful TV Tropes site has to say on the topic (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ProtoSuperhero):

The Count of Monte Cristo (1844) has a pretty good claim for being a proto-hero as well as an inspiration for Batman 1989. He's a brooding loner bent on revenge who is massively wealthy, a Master of Disguise, and has picked up immense physical prowess along the way. The Batman villain Bane, who is an Evil Counterpart of Batman, has a backstory based off of that of Dantes/The Count.

>71 .Monkey.:

Onto the TBR Challenge "nominations list" it goes! :D

73LittleTaiko
Jul 4, 2016, 4:18 pm

So happy that you enjoyed it as it would definitely be in my top 10 favorite books of all time list. Not sure what else would be there but it definitely has a spot.

Love the Batman comparison which makes sense when I think about it.

74abergsman
Jul 20, 2016, 9:37 am

Congrats on passing your exam!

I had no idea that the Count of Monte Cristo could possibly be the inspiration for Batman. Interesting. I read The Three Musketeers years ago and loved it, I'm not sure why I have never gone back to Dumas.

75Narilka
Editado: Ago 5, 2016, 9:20 pm

I am 100 pages into Before They Are Hanged and it's just not grabbing me. It's taken me over two weeks to get this far. I think I'm just not in the mood for gritty fantasy. I'm not quite ready to abandon it yet as it is interesting, especially Glotka's chapters, but I think I'll put it on hold a bit and see if I can come back to it later.

Edit: Got the touchstone working.

76Cecrow
Ago 8, 2016, 7:17 am

Abercrombie has quite a reputation now, but I've not been tempted to try him. It sounds like dark for the sake of dark, which doesn't attract me. You've a number of other SFF authors on your lists I have sampled and prefer.

77Narilka
Editado: Ago 9, 2016, 9:46 am

Maybe I went too long between books? I enjoyed reading the first one last year. For now I set it aside and started a Pratchett I downloaded. I'll come back Abercrombie later. If it doesn't work for me a second time, it will be abandoned.

78Narilka
Ago 23, 2016, 12:15 pm

8. Killing Patton: The Strange Death of World War II's Most Audacious General by Bill O'Reilly & Martin Dugard



Killing Patton is the fourth entry in Bill O 'Rielly's Killing series. It covers the end of WW II in Europe and the role General Patton played in the events leading up to the Allies final victory over Germany. Based on the subtitle I was a bit disappointed in the book. 2/3rds of the book's focus was on other players involved in the war rather than Patton. The odd coincidences around his death are touched on in the prologue and then not mentioned again until almost the very end. Full details and minor speculation on the circumstances of Patton's death weren't touched on until the Afterward and then only briefly. What the book does a great job on describing the Battle of the Bulge as well as giving a general overview of events going on in the region and what led to Germany's downfall. The details about all the other main players and their histories is fascinating. As a book about Patton, it leaves a lot to be desired. As a book focused on the ending of WW II in Europe, it does a great job of giving the highlights in a factual, well written manner.

Rating:

79artturnerjr
Ago 23, 2016, 1:50 pm

>78 Narilka:

Thanks for that. I've seen various volumes in O'Reilly's "Killing" series in bookstores and often wondered if they're any good or not.

80Narilka
Ago 23, 2016, 3:53 pm

>79 artturnerjr: I've also read Killing Lincoln, which was more along what I was expecting out of the book. It gave a bit of Lincoln's background, what was going on at the time, the conspiracy about his assassination and the aftermath of his death in a well written, succinct manner. That's what I was hoping for out of the Patton book. Patton's book wasn't bad, just not what I was expecting.

81Narilka
Editado: Set 1, 2016, 3:08 pm

9. Fool's Errand by Robin Hobb



Fitz's days as a royal assassin are behind him. Having saved the Six Duchies and secured the Farseer throne, Fitz is happy to let most of the world think he's dead and retire to a simple life of exile with Nighteyes. Destiny, it seems, has other ideas. Prince Dutiful, heir to the throne, has disappeared. Fitz has been called again to serve his Queen and the Six Duchies to retrieve the Prince before he misses his betrothal ceremony, a necessary political event to ensure peace between kingdoms. Soon Fitz sets out on a seemly simple errand unaware of the web of treachery he's about to stumble into.

Fool's Errand is the first in Robin Hobb's Tawny Man trilogy. The story picks up 15 years after events in The Farseer Trilogy. The story is a slow build told from Fitz's first person point of view. Unlike other authors that beat readers over the head with reminders of what happened in previous books, Hobb works the high points in a way that flows naturally with the story while also filling us in on what happened to Fitz and Nighteyes in the years between stories. We are caught up on his current life and the new persona Fitz has adopted, Tom Badgerlock, and find he has been raising a boy, whom he loves like a son. Fitz has more than earned his rest and yet it is time for him to re-enter the world as it is his blend of abilities and skills that make him the one person uniquely qualified to find the prince.

As always, Robin Hobb is a master storyteller. Her characters are utterly believable. They are flawed and act on motivations based on their world view. They make mistakes and suffer the consequences. Fitz is the both the same and different. He's older and a tad wiser now though elements of the lovable boy we watched grow up are still there. His bond with Nighteyes has deepened and he understands the Wit much better now. Nighteyes, too, is starting to feel his age. He's no longer the young pup he used to be and has lived much longer than the average wolf. The Fool is back and a joy to read. We gain more insight into his background and his interactions with the other characters is phenomenal. Yet that bit of mystery around the Fool remains.

The plot, while initially simple, has a lot of twists and turns. Just as you think you understand where things are going, events twist and then twist again. The pacing is well done. The slow build pays off well with a climax that will keep you reading long into the night. All lose ends are nicely tied up in the end. I know this is just the first book in a trilogy but it could almost be read stand alone.

I laughed. I cried. I was swept away to far lands and completely immersed in the characters, the world and their story. Highly recommended.

Rating:

82Cecrow
Set 2, 2016, 8:32 am

Does it wrap in events from the Liveship Traders trilogy in any way, or was that a complete aside?

83Narilka
Set 2, 2016, 10:24 am

No, it's focused entirely on Fitz and the Six Duchies. I think the Liveship story continues with The Rain Wild Chronicles. I haven't read them yet so I'm not entirely sure.

84billiejean
Set 6, 2016, 3:18 pm

Nice review. I haven't read anything yet by Robin Hobb, but I have been meaning to read one soon.

85Narilka
Set 13, 2016, 11:06 am

>82 Cecrow: I'm about half way through Golden Fool and some of the Liveships stuff is starting to show up. I don't know if I'd call it a true continuation yet, only time will tell. Things are getting interesting though!

86Narilka
Set 18, 2016, 1:02 pm

10. Golden Fool by Robin Hobb



Rescued from his would-be Piebald kidnappers, Prince Dutiful has returned home and life at Buckkeep has resumed its normal pace. The price of the rescue was high: Nighteyes is dead. With a heavy heart Fitz finds himself again living at Buckkeep. Maintaining his pose as Tomb Badgerlock, Lord Golden's manservant and bodyguard, Fitz secretly resumes his old duties as spy for the Farseers. With his old mentor visibly failing, Fitz must take up more and more duties to help keep the kingdom stable. The problems are many. Prince Dutiful's betrothal to the Narcheska of the Outislands is fraught with tension as many of the Buck nobles disagree with the decision and the Narcheska herself is keeping many secrets. Piebald threats and persecution of the Witted have increased, both of which could topple Farseer throne and heir if the Prince's secret was to be revealed. Even Fitz's relationship with the Fool is shattered when secret's from the Fool's past are revealed. Court intrigues swirl. On top of that Fitz has been tasked to teach the Prince the Skill, the hereditary magic of the Farseers. With little support Fitz finds himself struggling just to survive.

Golden Fool is the second in Robin Hobb's Tawny Man trilogy. The story picks up from the exact same scene where the first book leaves off. Fitz has more or less resigned himself to life again at Buckkeep, posing as a bodyguard/servant for Lord Golden while resuming his old duties under Chade. Chade, realizing that Fitz has progressed far beyond a mere apprentice, names Fitz as his journeyman and first in line to inherit the old spymaster's job. Fitz is having a hard time of it. He has lost half of his soul with Nighteye's death and must relearn how to live without the extra senses and companionship of his wit-bond. Resuming his old life is a much needed distraction from the loss and also lets Fitz keep his oath to serve the Farseers. Initially against the idea Fitz becomes the (unwilling) Skillmaster for Prince Dutiful and Chade has set him the impossible task of finding and creating a Skill Coterie for the Prince. All while keeping a secret eye on the Narcheska and her Outislanders, doing his best to stay fatherly to Hap, maintaining a friendship with Jinna, keep up appearances with "Lord Golden" and a number of other things going on in court. I'm exhausted just thinking of all the balls he's juggling! With everything else going on Fitz finds the only way to keep his sanity is in his friendship with the Fool. Then this one comfort is taken away when visitors from Bingtown accidentally reveal secrets from the Fool's past making Fitz doubt if he ever knew his friend at all.

Both character and plot development move at a glacial pace. Pages fly by with little progress but there in lies the secret to Hobb's style. She takes her time, allowing the tensions to mount until events erupt in a dramatic manner. While it did not bother me in the first book, the second book felt more drawn out. Characters lamented over their pasts and I found it somewhat frustrating after it was repeated several times. Yet it was never boring. It is exactly what real people do, belabor in our minds over some error and beat ourselves up over if only we could go back in time and do things differently then maybe... This is just one of the things that help make Hobb's characters so believable.

Poor, poor Fitz. Just when he seems to have things in his personal life going well, he manages to screw it up pretty badly. There were so many times I wanted to shake him to make him think before speaking or acting in the heat of the moment. He screws up his relationships with pretty much everyone in this book and only begins to repair some of them towards the end of the novel. The Fool, I'm sad to say, is more of a secondary character in this book. He disappears from the story almost entirely for a while. I missed his presence as much as Fitz did. Introduced in this book is Thick, a dull-witted servant of Chade's that also happens to be extremely strong in the Skill. I loved how Fitz's relationship with Thick progressed. Fitz had to think outside the box to gain Thick's trust.

Many plots are set into motion with little resolution. Instead we have most of the players on the board ready to to move on to the finale. I have no idea how Hobb will wrap this all up in just one more book.

Rating:

87Narilka
Set 18, 2016, 1:04 pm

>82 Cecrow: There is a Bingtown story thread in book 2. It is currently minor but not yet resolved. It has bigger potential for book 3. I'll find out soon I hope :)

88Narilka
Out 2, 2016, 2:11 pm

11. Fool's Fate by Robin Hobb



The Narcheska’s challenge to Prince Dutiful: Lay the head of the dragon Icefyre, whom legends say is buried deep beneath the ice of the island Aslevjal, upon her hearth. Only then can they be married and there be peace between the Six Duchies and the Outislands. An impossible task, assuming there even is a dragon somewhere in the ice. Not all the Outisland Clans agree with this effort to kill their country's mythic defender. There also appears to be something strange, a darker force, behind the Narcheska's demand. Can Fitz and his strongly-Skilled but untested coterie get to the bottom of the mystery and save the alliance? And what about the Fool, the White Prophet, who was left behind on the docks?

Fool's Fate is the final book of The Tawny Man trilogy. The story picks up right where the second book leaves off, with our band of unlikely heroes setting off on the Prince's quest. The book is aptly titled. For the first third of the book we are left to wonder about the Fool's fate, how he has been left behind. How will his vision of the future come true if he is separated from his Catalyst? Can Fitz, as the Changer, prevent a part of those visions and still save the world? Then, as the story progresses, the title takes on a whole new meaning as events unfold and still we wonder, what will be the Fool's fate?

While dragging in places, overall plot moves at a better pace. As always the story is heavily focused on the characters. This time it is the Skill coterie: Fitz, Chade, Dutiful and Thick. Prince Dutiful is growing from boy to man, from prince to king. He is in a difficult situation and makes the best of it as he can. Chade is his scheming self, highly intelligent and stubborn, with fuller understanding of the political element that is involved. It was interesting to watch his power plays and maneuvering, and even more fun when he's thwarted. Fitz is Fitz, always thinking he knows what's best for everyone else and proven wrong at inconvenient times. Thick is the true surprise of the series. It has been great to watch his character grow within the confines of his limitations. While he may be a half-wit, he ends up the strongest of the Skill users with some truly astonishing powers.

At it's heart the story centers around the Fool and Fitz's relationship. The White Prophet and his Catalyst. The Fool, who has been much in the background, is finally approaching his moment. Driven by his visions to save the future of the world, he is prepared to face his destiny even if Fitz doesn't agree. Theirs is a different kind of love story. While not the typical romantic love that most epic fantasy series have, it is a love story just as moving and heartbreaking. It is a reminder that there are many types of love and each is powerful in its own way.

It is a bittersweet ending to the series. I think both Fitz and the Fool were short changed. I don't feel nearly as happy for Fitz/Molly as I thought I would. After living a whole other life for 15 years, believing your first love dead, Molly would've moved on. She had married, had 7 children and then shortly after her husband's death she can take Fitz back? It was too easy how Fitz returned to her life and just wasn't believable for me. On the flip side, the fact that Fitz still doesn't get what it cost the Fool to give him up is absolutely in line with Fitz's character. He really is that dense. It's not that Fitz and the Fool went their separate ways. I find it believable that the Fool needs time to heal just like Fitz did at the end of Assassin's Quest. Just that Fitz/Molly feels so superficial. Things were tied up a little too neatly and felt rushed. The last couple chapters, after all the hardships the characters went through, seemed too easy, too perfect. I am glad that Hobb is writing another series as the story doesn't feel complete.

Rating:

89.Monkey.
Out 2, 2016, 3:44 pm

Nearly done with the official amount, woo! Do you know which one you'll choose to make your 12th? :)

90billiejean
Out 2, 2016, 7:00 pm

Nice review! My daughter tells me that Robin Hobb is a good writer. So I bought a book on my kindle, Ship of Magic. Is that a good place to start? I wasn't thinking about series at the time I got it.

91Narilka
Out 2, 2016, 7:49 pm

>89 .Monkey.: No idea. I'm taking a short TBR break. My "Halloween" book is the 3rd Dresden Files, which isn't on this list. It's about ghosts so I hope it fits the month :) It may end up a toss up between Foreigner, Cat Raise the Dead and Digital Fortress. Hobb has left me feeling wiped out on the fantasy side.

>90 billiejean: Ship of Magic is the first book of Hobb's second series, Liveship Traders. They are set in the same world and feature mostly different characters. It's where I started her books at and I think it ended up OK to read the first two trilogies out of order. From what I remember there will be only one minor spoiler if you go back and do the Farseer trilogy after, and only if you're paying close attention. The "secret" comes out in Tawny Man so as long as you read the Farseer and Liveships trilogies before Tawny Man you'll be fine. I hope that made sense! I'd love to hear what you think if you give it a shot.

92Cecrow
Editado: Out 3, 2016, 8:41 am

Same thing happens to me, I gotta step away from fantasy after concluding a series, let it digest.

I read the Liveship Traders first also, and prefer them to the original Fitz trilogy, so it's probably the better place for a first impression of the author.

93.Monkey.
Out 3, 2016, 8:55 am

Maybe that's why I've never been one to read much of it. Even big fans need a break between, so small fans need bigger breaks between less! xP

94Narilka
Out 3, 2016, 10:56 am

Whether I need a break or not depends on the series for me, on how emotionally invested I am with the characters and how wrung out I feel at the end. I felt that way after reading the Malazan books and Game of Thrones. Lighter fare, like David Eddings or Garth Nix, and I can keep on the fantasy train.

95Cecrow
Out 3, 2016, 11:21 am

Yes, I find that as well, and/or at the end of series with a really long page count.

When I'm really engaged by a fantasy world, too, there's the investment my imagination has in understanding and tracking details about the world in which it takes place. Personally I need a bit of time for that air to clear before I can start reconstructing a completely different vision, else there's a lingering effect like reading too-similar books at once.

96billiejean
Out 3, 2016, 6:15 pm

>91 Narilka: Thank you so much. I might look into the Farseer Trilogy on my kindle, too. Since it does not add to the book clutter.

97Narilka
Nov 13, 2016, 1:18 pm

I'm almost ready to get back on my TBR challenge. Only two books for my book club to finish, one of which I should finish today. I've had a nice break so I'm thinking Mistborn may be my 12th :)

98Cecrow
Nov 14, 2016, 7:57 am

Liked that one. It's a good time of year to tackle the start of a new series, so you can decide if you want the rest of it in your 2017 line-up. I did something similar with Shadowmarch.

99Narilka
Dez 1, 2016, 5:19 pm

Mistborn was great! Yeah, I'm probably going to do book 2 right after my next book club book. It doesn't end on a cliff hanger but the mystery that was teased.... must find out what happens :) Review to come!

100Narilka
Dez 1, 2016, 10:23 pm

12. Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson



For a thousand years the Lord Ruler has ruled the Final Empire as a god. Ash falls continuously during the day and mists rule the night. The Skaa people have been subjugated for so long they no longer have the will to fight back. Rumors of a survivor of the Lord Ruler's most brutal prison have emerged and hope is reignited. In the pits Kelsier "snapped" and came away with the powers of Allomancy, the power of a Mistborn. A brilliant criminal mastermind, Kelsier has turned his cunning to the ultimate plan: to overthrow the Lord Ruler and end the Empire.

Mistborn: The Final Empire is the first in Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn series. The book gets off to a slow start. We are gradually introduced to the world of the Final Empire and it's peoples as the foundation for the story. It didn't take long for me to get fully immersed in this new land of ash and mists. Sanderson is an extraordinary world builder. The atmosphere is oppressive and relentless. Ash falls continuously from the sky, creating a dreary wasteland. Green grass, flowers, trees with leaves of any color but brown are unheard of though there are hints they may have existed at one time. You get the feel of a wrongness to this world. Magic is real but only usable by Allomancers, an ability passed down from the nobility to their offspring. The magic is defined by the ability to "burn" metals - that is a person with Allomantic powers can ingest certain metals and use them as wells of hidden strengths. Each metal is aligned with a specific ability, either physical or mental, and it either pulls or pushes. This concept lays at the core of the story and is the basis of some amazing action scenes.

The story is told primarily from two points of view: Kelsier and Vin. Both characters are highly likable. Kelsier, the Survivor of Hathsin, is the brilliant mastermind and crew leader to a gang of misfits he has recruited to take part in his scheme. Naturally Kelsier is a Mistborn, an Allomancer who can use all the metals instead of just one. His experiences of a past betrayal and surviving the mines have made him fairly set in his beliefs. He also serves as mentor to Vin, a street urchin that Kelsier discovered and is training in the Allomantic arts to assist with his gang's job. Vin, the street urchin, goes on quite a character arc. She starts off as a half starved, highly suspicious and very untrusting. Through Kelsier's training and while playing her part of the crew Vin transforms into a highly competent and capable heroine. They were both a lot of fun to read. Both have their motivations well explained and are deep and complex individuals. Vin stole the show for me. She was highly sympathetic from the start and I was rooting for her the whole time. I felt a pride for the character as she overcame her lot in life and continued to grow throughout the story. I believe there is much more for us to discover about Vin in future books.

About the only downside is premise of the story is fairly conventional and has been done before: a hero from the oppressed masses rises up to lead a rebellion and overthrow the evil empire. Star Wars anyone? Yet Sanderson's telling of it is masterful. The book has something for everyone. Lots of action, a unique and way cool magic system, intrigue, politics, conspiracies, romance, believable characters and a fully realized world. I will definitely be continuing this series.

Remember, there's always another secret.

Rating:

101Cecrow
Dez 2, 2016, 8:28 am

I liked the different opening this one had; the villain's already won, wahwahwah. That was a pretty good hook, right there in the premise. Although you're right, Star Wars did the same thing. Huh. Not so unique. Book 2 really peels back the layers, you're only at the start of the onion.

102.Monkey.
Dez 2, 2016, 10:03 am

Yay for good reads :)

103Narilka
Dez 2, 2016, 10:40 am

>101 Cecrow: Good to hear :) Just as soon as I finish my book club's December read I'm starting Mistborn #2 :D The series has thrown off my plan to try and fit in one more TBR book by year end. Oh well, there's always next year!

Speaking of... time to get started on my 2017 list.

104Cecrow
Dez 2, 2016, 11:15 am

No problem, you just tell yourself it would have been on your 2017 list so you're opening up more room for next year by reading it now, lol

105Narilka
Dez 2, 2016, 1:59 pm

LOL that's a great way to rationalize!