Tag: book review

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Book Review – Last Argument of Kings by Joe Abercrombie.

Last Argument of Kings (The First Law, #3)Last Argument of Kings by Joe Abercrombie

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Last Argument of Kings is the third book in the First Law Trilogy and continues the story of some familiar characters, while introducing some new ones too.

The Cover: As far as Joe’s covers go, this is one of the better ones. I do feel it is a little plain and could have been so much better, but at least it conveys the tone of the story and I get a feel for the genre.

The Good Stuff: In true Abercrombie style, the tale is tough and gritty. It gives glimpses into the true nature of human beings through a variety of interesting characters. In this book we get to see a lot more of Logen Nine fingers and his darker side – ‘The Bloody Nine’. I loved every minute of this book. Once again Abercrombie has come to the party. No, actually he has brought the party to your house, along with an entourage of characters that are beautiful and yet so individually ugly, you’ll love and hate them all at the same time. And they’re going to turn your place upside down before they leave. If you haven’t read any of Joe Abercrombie’s work yet, I have one question for you – what are you waiting for?

The Bad Stuff: Come on, it’s Joe! Okay, if I have to say something it is that the ending does not bring the story to an close. It leaves it open and keeps you yearning for more. Damn it.

This one is definitely worth 5 out of 5 golden bookmarks.

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Allan Walsh writes Fantasy and Horror. If you’re looking for something new to read in these genres, why not check out his books here.

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Book Review – The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson

The Well of Ascension (Mistborn, #2)The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson continues the story of Vin and Elend in the aftermath of the Lord Rulers fall.

The Cover: A nice cover that matches the others in the series. Nice artwork that shows you the genre of the content inside.

The Good Stuff: I really enjoyed this book. It continues seamlessly from book one with all the much loved characters and a full introduction to the Koloss, who were only breezed over in book one. The complexity of the plot seems to get deeper and deeper, with multiple sub-plots taking you through a maze of story questions that keep you reading. I would say this series was well mapped out before the first book was ever written, and what a great job Brandon Sanderson has done.

The Bad Stuff: The only criticism I have of this story is that the explanation of the magic system was repetitive and overdone. Aside from the fact that I knew about it from the previous book, it seemed too explained more than required in this novel.

Overall, this is another great fantasy novel that has hooked me into reading the 3rd novel in the series, which I’m sure will not disappoint. I’m giving this an allomantic, page pushing 5 out of 5 golden bookmarks.

Want to know if you agree with my review? Grab your own copy from these links:

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Allan Walsh writes Fantasy and Horror. If you’re looking for something new to read in these genres, why not check out his books here.

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Book Review – The Cloud by K.I Zachopoulos

The CloudThe Cloud by K.I. Zachopoulos

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The Cloud is a fantasy graphic novel about a boy and his wolf who go on a journey to find the boy’s father and return a wish that was stolen from him.

The Cover: This is a beautiful cover that clearly defines the fantasy elements of the story, however it does not convey that the book is a graphic novel. This is fine if it is housed on the bookshelves under graphic novels, but my suggestion to the author would be to add some subtext to make it clear. Something along the lines of ‘A fantasy graphic novel that will take you on a beautifully illustrated adventure.’

The Good Stuff: There is an interesting tale here set in an interesting world and it is beautifully illustrated. The layout and quality of the artwork is done to a professional standard, and it certainly looks like a graphic novel should do.

The Bad Stuff: While the tale is interesting and the artwork is visual feast for your eyes, by all accounts the story seems to be a little hard to follow. If you are a die-hard graphic novelist/comic reader, you may not be fazed by this, but for me, well… the artwork made it well worth a read.

Overall, if you are a lover of good art you will enjoy this book, but if you are after a smooth flowing, easy to understand story this may leave you a little unsatisfied. I’m giving this one an eye opening, mind marvelling 3 out of 5 golden bookmarks.

Want to know if you agree with my review? Grab your own copy from these links:

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Allan Walsh writes Fantasy and Horror. If you’re looking for something new to read in these genres, why not check out his books here.

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Book Review: The Writers Complete Fantasy Reference

The Writer's Complete Fantasy Reference: An Indispensable Compendium of Myth and MagicThe Writer’s Complete Fantasy Reference: An Indispensable Compendium of Myth and Magic from the editors of Writer’s Digest Books

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The Writers Complete Fantasy Reference is a non-fiction title for writers. It covers aspects of the genre that will help the writer to create a believable fantasy world.

The Cover: This is a beautiful cover and screams fantasy, however if it were not for the title and other elements on the cover, I would not have picked it as a non-fiction book. The cover designer made good choices with these additional elements to consolidate the genres.

The Good Stuff: This book is packed with useful information for a fantasy writer. Ever wondered what the parts of a castle are? Look no further. Need to know what weapons were around in the middle ages? This is the book for you. What did peasants wear? It’s all in this book.

The Bad Stuff: It is only a non-fiction title and with such a great cover, I wanted more. The book is informative, but a lot of the details are common knowledge. Did I really need this book? Probably not. Will I ever refer to it? Probably, now I know what’s between the covers it will be easy to refer to if I need more details. It could even be used for some inspiration.

Overall, this is a good reference guide. It covers different cultures across our evolution and will certainly make you think a little more about things when you are writing your next fantasy novel. I appreciate the content, but reading a reference guide is a little boring for me, better suited as a reference, but it’s kind of a catch 22, without knowing the content how do you know what to refer to? I think there is value in this title and it certainly reminded me of the deeper level of thought required when planning your novels. For that reason I’m ranking this one 3 out of 5 golden bookmarks.

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Allan Walsh writes Fantasy and Horror. If you’re looking for something new to read in these genres, why not check out his books here. You can also find his titles available in libraries. 

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Book Review – The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie.

The Blade Itself (The First Law, #1)

The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Blade Itself is a fantasy novel about … well, a host of characters and the parts they play in this tale of feuds, conspiracies, and wars. Set in a vicious world with well-established cultures and classes, magic and science, superstitions and beliefs.

The Cover: I do get the feeling that this is a fantasy novel. The blood splatter suggests there will be some violence. It’s quite plain and doesn’t really grab me.

The good stuff: This book has a full cast of characters from Logen Ninefingers, Bayaz and Jezal Dan Luthar, to Major Collem West, Sand dan Glokta, and Ferro. Their paths woven seamlessly into the story in a world where life is neither fun nor fair. The characters own their individual personalities, their individual traits and their individual problems, while war broods all around. Abercrombie weaves a tale of respected men who lie and scheme, barbarians who have honour and respect and strong women who kick some serious arse.

The Bad Stuff: The only bad thing about this book is it comes to an end and leaves you wanting more.

In my opinion, this is a superbly written fantasy novel with a mix of aristocratic society and down-in-the-gutter, bang-to-rights hard men. This action packed novel packs a punch and deserves a place on the shelf of any true fantasy fan. I’m giving it 5 out of 5 golden bookmarks.

Want to know if you agree with my review? Grab your own copy from these links:

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Allan Walsh writes Fantasy and Horror. If you’re looking for something new to read in these genres, why not check out his books here. You can also find his titles available in libraries.

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Book Review – Magician by Raymond E. Fiest.

Magician (The Riftwar Saga, #1-2)

Magician by Raymond E. Feist

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Magician is an epic fantasy novel about the lives of Pug and those around him, their victories, their defeats, their friendships, oh… and there is magic.

The Cover: A good traditional fantasy cover that clearly demonstrates the genre and gives you some idea of what sort of story you’re going to get.

The good stuff: While Magician bears some similarities to Tolkien’s work, it is an epic tale in its own right. Feist has put an original spin on a plot that has been used before and has some well rounded characters. His world building is done well, creating different races and cultures in worlds far apart. The Magician has everything a great fantasy epic should have: magic, magical weapons and armour, dragons, elves, dwarves and more.

The Bad Stuff: If I said I had just read a book with wizards, dwarves, elves, goblins and a mad king, what would you think of? Well, The Magician is not the title that most people would think of. As mentioned above, there are a few similarities to another well read epic fantasy in this book. There’s also some over explaining and repetition, with a fair bit of telling in the writing style.

In my opinion, this is a great fantasy novel and is a much loved classic that deserves a space on the shelf of any true fantasy fan. This one gets 4 out of 5 golden bookmarks from me.

Want to know if you agree with my review? Grab your own copy from these links:

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Allan Walsh writes Fantasy and Horror. If you’re looking for something new to read in these genres, why not check out his books here. You can also find his titles available in libraries. 

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Book Review – The Lascar’s Dagger by Glenda Larke.

The Lascar's Dagger (The Forsaken Lands, #1)

The Lascar’s Dagger by Glenda Larke

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Lascar’s Dagger is the tale of a Saker Rampion, a spy of the Va faith who, coerced by an enchanted dagger, is unwittingly drawn into a stranger’s quest.

The Cover: For me, this is a great cover. I love stories with thieves or assassins and I would grab this one off the shelf just at a glimpse of this cover. It is a strong fantasy cover in my opinion.

The Good Stuff: I really enjoyed this book. The characters are interesting and apart from Saker, they all have strong, clear traits and they stay ‘in character’ throughout the book. The author, Glenda Larke, builds a believable world with a diverse ensemble of characters. She has some creative ideas and weaves some interesting plot lines.

The Bad Stuff: In my opinion there are two major logic flaws within this story. The main character, Saker Rampion, is a veteran spy and I quote “the pontifect’s best; the hunter after truth, the clever spy, the sharp witted investigator.” For a man who is all this, I found him likeable, but incredibly stupid. Saker makes rash assumptions when there is evidence to the contrary. And then there is ‘the thing’ that princess Mathilda hides from the world. I won’t tell you what it is, that would spoil your read if you do take a gander at this tale, but honestly, I have my doubts that she could hide something like this, in this world, under the conditions imposed upon her. I also found some info dumping in the text and some ‘telling’, both of which could have easily been dealt with through different writing techniques.

As a reader it is easy for me to criticise Glenda Larke’s writing. As a writer, I know how easy it is to make these sort of mistakes and still not notice them after reading the story a hundred times. On the whole, Glenda has created an original story with some great characters, set in a believable world. Her prose makes for an enjoyable read and I will certainly read more of her works. I’m giving this one 4 out of 5 Golden bookmarks.

Want to know if you agree with my review? Grab your own copy from these links:

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Allan Walsh writes Fantasy and Horror. If you’re looking for something new to read in these genres, why not check out his books here. You can also find his titles available in libraries. 

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Book Review – Before They Are Hanged by Joe Abercrombie.

Before They Are Hanged (The First Law, #2)

Before They Are Hanged

by Joe Abercrombie

My Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

Before They Are Hanged is the continuation of The First Law series and follows the stories of the First of the Magi, Logen Ninefingers, Ferro, and many more of the host of characters within the book.

The Cover: Not a terrible cover, quite simple and plain, but nothing special. It does fit well with the others in this series and conveys the genre.

The good stuff: This book has a full cast of characters and Mr Abercrombie moves easily from one to another allowing the story to flow. I love the relationship between Logen Nine fingers and Ferro, The sudden shifts in temperament of Bayaz, the character arc Jezal Dan Luthar moves through as his character grows and there is so much more to love within the pages of this book. The story and the characters paths come together like a peacocks feather: Beautiful, colourful, and consisting of numerous barbs that all seem to converge on a pointed spine. Joe has created a dangerous, intriguing world and I absolutely love it. I have come to expect great things from Joe Abercrombie and he did not disappoint me with this novel.

The Bad Stuff: As with most other novels I’ve read by Joe, the only bad thing is that the book comes to an end and you want more.

In my opinion, this is a superbly written fantasy novel with a well established society, governments, clans, etc… The action, twists and political scheming keeps coming and holds the readers interest until the end. There are some richly described places, well defined characters and interesting fantasy elements. I have come to expect great things from Joe Abercrombie and he has not let me down with this fantastic novel. Call me biased if you will, but JA is without doubt my favourite author and I’m giving this one a blood thirsty 5 out of 5 golden bookmarks with a huge, deranged grin.

Want to know if you agree with my review? Grab your own copy from these links:

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Allan Walsh writes Fantasy and Horror. If you’re looking for something new to read in these genres, why not check out his books here. You can also find his titles available in libraries. 

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Book Review – Story Genius by Lisa Cron

Story Genius: How to Use Brain Science to Go Beyond Outlining and Write a Riveting Novel (Before You Waste Three Years Writing 327 Pages That Go Nowhere)Story Genius: How to Use Brain Science to Go Beyond Outlining and Write a Riveting Novel by Lisa Cron

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is a non-fiction title that looks at planning and forming connections between your characters and the reader’s emotions using the craft of writing.

The Cover: The cover is a good fit with the non-fiction genre and the image is fitting for the concept spoken about within the book.

The Good Stuff: This book covers some of the techniques a writer needs to know: Plotting, planning, characters arcs, etc… but it is done an entirely new way compared to other books I have read on these topics. There is some great information in this book and I did find the concept interesting and somewhat enlightening. The author is obviously talented and experienced in this field, and shares a wealth of her knowledge with the reader. I certainly found some insights into new ways of looking at things that I will put into use.

The Bad Stuff: I hate to say it, but I struggled through this book. I struggled because I like to get to the point quickly, but the author seems to waffle on a bit too much for me. I’m not saying it was a bad book, because it wasn’t bad by any means. I struggled because the examples were in a genre I do not read. I struggled because the author tries to make a closer connection with the reader. I struggled because it was too nice and fluffy for me. I can see many readers would love this, but it isn’t for me.

Overall, for a writer, there is value in reading this book. If you write romance or ‘chick lit’ you will probably love it. If it were written using horror or fantasy examples and was more succinct, I would have raved about it. As it stands, I didn’t love it, but I didn’t hate it either. I’m ranking this one 3 out of 5 golden bookmarks for a worthwhile lesson in connecting with readers.

Want to know if you agree with my review? Grab your own copy from these links:

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Get it on Kobo

Allan Walsh writes Fantasy and Horror. If you’re looking for something new to read in these genres, why not check out his books here. You can also find his titles available in libraries. 

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Book Review – How To Be A Writer: Secrets from the Inside by Stewart Ferris.

How to Be a Writer: Secrets from the InsideHow To Be A Writer: Secrets from the Inside

by Stewart Ferris

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

How To Be A Writer: Secrets from the Inside by Stewart Ferris is a non-fiction title that provides information, tips and techniques on the craft of writing.

The Cover: This cover fits the non-fiction genre and clearly defines what the book is about.

The Good Stuff: There is some great information in this book and it is written in a plain, down to earth style that makes it easy to read. The author is open and clearly conveys his sound knowledge of each of the topics covered. This would be a great book for someone just starting out as a writer. For the seasoned writer, you will not gain as much, you may learn something new or you may not, but at the least I would say you will gain some inspiration or a reminder of something you have let your focus slip from.

The Bad Stuff: There really isn’t anything bad to say about this book. As mentioned in the good stuff, if you are an experienced writer, I doubt that you will gain much from this book, but the experienced writer is not the target audience. So, if this is you, do not expect anything new or ground-breaking, look for the one or two tips, some inspiration or a refresh of something you’ve loosened your grip on.

Overall, if I were new to writing, this would be a welcomed addition to my bookshelf. As a writer with some experience, I still found some value in this book, therefore, I’m giving this one a pen pushing 4 out of 5 golden bookmarks.

Want to know if you agree with my review? Grab your own copy from these links:

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amazon.com.au
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Allan Walsh writes Fantasy and Horror. If you’re looking for something new to read in these genres, why not check out his books here. You can also find his titles available in libraries. 

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