Hi friends,
Another month has come and gone, and I’m back with reviews for some great novels that I read this month. I didn’t get around to any nonfiction in October. I just wasn’t feeling it. Maybe November?
On the family front, we had some highs and lows in October. We had a great time on a quick trip to Moab, celebrated two birthdays, and had a pretty good time on Halloween, but we also all had our first bout with COVID, and that was fairly awful. Hopefully, we’re safe from getting that one again for a while, but I’m sure we’ll get all of the other viruses circulating this winter. That’s the worst part of being a parent.
Anyway, let me know what you think of these books, and if you have suggestions for further reading.
Best,
Tonya
The Priory of the Orange Tree (The Roots of Chaos #1) by Samantha Shannon
Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Recommendation: if you like epic fantasy
Review: This is EPIC fantasy. Shannon has created a fairly unique world using some old fashioned fantasy tropes including dragon riding, secret societies, magic weapons, and even more magical fruit. The story is told from the point of view of four characters, and the changing points of view allow us to get a great perspective of the different parts of the Orange Tree world. In the East, dragons are revered as gods and ridden only by the worthy. In the west, fire-breathing wyrms terrorize the population, and a secret society of elite female warriors is dedicated to their eradication. As our four disparate characters move through their various plots, the end of the world draws nigh. It’s all very apocalyptic, and I really enjoyed the world building, the action sequences, the political machinations, and especially the relationships between the various characters. However, it was a long ride for what ended up feeling like a somewhat abrupt, deus ex machina-type ending. Despite that, Shannon has achieved the rare feat of writing an excellent epic fantasy story in a single volume, which in a genre where multiple book series is the norm, I can appreciate.
The Sunlit Man by Brandon Sanderson
Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Recommendation: yes! For fans of the Cosmere
Review: This is the final of Sanderson’s four secret projects that he released this year. It was also set in his Cosmere universe, but featured a character that we’ve seen in the Cosmere before. Up until this point, Sanderson has intentionally written the Cosmere so that readers can come in cold and pick up any stand-alone novel or series and enjoy it without broader knowledge of the rest of the Cosmere. Most of the Cosmere connections were predominantly Easter egg type appearances and hints. But that is no longer the case with this novel. If you haven’t read The Stormlight Archive, then I imagine most of the cool moments in this book will be lost on you. If you have though, be prepared for an awesome ride. This is the fastest paced of any Sanderson book I’ve read yet. He assumes that you have broad knowledge of other Cosmere worlds and magic systems and plunges you into a breakneck story which is comprised of at least 50% chase scenes and takes place over a single day. In fact, there were points where I felt like it was a little too fast and just wanted it to slow down a bit and take a breather. That being said, Sanderson does create space for some great character moments and some magically enhanced aerospace engineering. The villain fell a little flat with me, but I enjoyed the found family trope that Sanderson uses for our protagonist. It’s not my favorite secret project -- I think that position is claimed by either Tress of the Emerald Sea or Yumi and the Nightmare Painter -- but it is a solid entry in the Cosmere, and it’s so gratifying to see some of these worlds and magic systems come together and mesh. If this is the direction the Cosmere is heading, then I am here for it.
Fractal Noise (The Fractalverse #.5) by Christopher Paolini
Rating: 5 of 5 stars
Recommendation: yes
Review: I read the first entry in Paolini’s Fractalverse a few months ago, and while this one is set in the same universe, it feels like it was written by a different person. While To Sleep in a Sea of Stars pays homage to the epic scifi space opera genre, this installment is a MUCH shorter suspense thriller that explores themes like grief, obsession, and theology. The premise is pretty simple, a group of interstellar explorers discover a giant hole on a never-explored planet that could only have been made by aliens and decide to explore it. However, since the hole is emitting giant electromagnetic pulses every 10.6 seconds, they have to land their ships a few kilometers from the hole and precede on foot to the edge of it. Paolini masterfully builds tension as each step is a struggle against the massive EMPs and tensions rise to untenable levels among the group of explorers. Our main point-of-view character is struggling through the recent death of a loved one, and the story is predominantly about him learning to deal with his grief as he continues to ask some of the biggest philosophical questions that have haunted mankind including: is there a God? Why are we alive? What should we do with our existences? If there any meaning to our continued existence? All of these themes are explored as our group struggles step by step to the edge of the literal unknown. Obviously, I had a deep emotional experience reading this book. I would highly recommend.
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Recommendation: yes
Review: This is a classic of the scifi genre, and it seemed like a significant hole in my reading history to never have picked it up. I’m glad I did because it was a fun little jaunt. The plot is meandering and the whole book literally feels like a somewhat pointless hitchhiking journey. Adams humor reminded me strongly of Terry Pratchett, but I guess that the reverse is true since Adams published first. I really enjoyed all the jokes about the pointlessness of bureaucracy and the improbability ship. I can see why this is a classic and recommend it as a foundation of the genre.
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Recommendation: yes
Review: This book had been on my radar for a while. I kept seeing it on the New York Times bestseller’s list and saw that Apple+ was making a show based on it. So I decided to pick it up. It’s one of those books where the main character becomes way too happy too early in the book, and you just wait for the other shoe to drop, which it does. Our main character is aspiring chemist Elizabeth Zott whose every scientific ambition is stymied by the patriarchy. Nevertheless, she persists, and the story is predominantly about her persistence after being repeatedly beaten back and down. I really enjoyed the found family trope as Elizabeth gradually gathers allies in her quest to become a recognized scientist. It’s a pretty good read, but I’m not sure if it entirely lives up to all the hype.
Witch King by Martha Wells
Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Recommendation: yes
Review: I would have given this book 5 stars, but it took me some time to get invested in it, but once I did, man, I was hooked. The delay up front was largely because Wells plunges you right into a complex political world with multiple ethnicities, time periods, and magic systems presented with no explanation. On the one hand, this technique avoids the dreaded infodump exposition that sometimes clogs up and slows down the beginning of epic fantasy novels, but on the other hand, I was really confused for the first 80 pages until I had been exposed enough to figure out what was going on. That being said, I really liked the rest of the book. Wells alternates between a present-day storyline and a historic storyline, and the historic one gradually catches up with the present day one and reveals more about the lore and backstory for our main characters. The plot is pretty straightforward: in the present we’re searching for a lost comrade, and in the past, we’re overthrowing a tyrannical, conquering force. Our band of magical beings includes a demon in human form, a witch, and a Blessed Immortal. All find lots of chances to use their unique skills as our crew tries to solve a mysterious disappearance and dabble in some geopolitical forways. The action scenes are great, and I loved the development of our main character. Highly recommend for fans of Wells writing.
A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher
Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Recommendation: yes
Review: I didn’t realize this book was Young Adult until I started reading it. That being said, it was better than I thought it was going to be. It’s a fun jaunt with fairly low stakes. We’re just saving a city here, not the universe, and our protagonist is a 14 year-old wizard of bread who has to solve a murder mystery, and is unfairly thrust into the uncomfortable position of having to be a hero predominantly because of the failures of those leading the city. I enjoyed how our baking wizard explored the extent of her bread-based powers, and creatively developed what seems to be predominantly useless magical skills to military applications. I also really liked the friends that she met along the way including her gingerbread man familiar. Highly recommend for anyone looking for a fun and funny read. |
| Chloe wanted to be a black cat for Halloween, and Maya wanted to be what Chloe was. Lucky for me, this was a pretty easy costume to put together. |
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| We took a trip to Moab at the beginning of the month with my brother-in-law, sister-in-law, and their families. We had a great time, except for Dan, who unbeknownst to us until after the trip, was sick with COVID. We did a few family friendly hikes, and the kids had the most fun playing in the soft, red sand. We got back just in time for Chloe and I to get COVID. |
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| Chloe's pumpkin, carved with assistance from Dan. |
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| I didn't get a ton of pictures of the kids, but this one accurately shows that there were a ton of people there, even in the off season. Still, Maya had a good time posing for this picture in Arches. |
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| We celebrated Lincoln's first birthday in and among all having COVID this month. He loved his chocolate cake. |
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| Chloe performing some shenanigans at the park. |
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| Lincoln found a new favorite seat! |
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| Happy Halloween! |
