A new level of epic epic-ness.....

I'm not going to even try to summarize the plots of Sanderson's first installment of The Stormlight Archive. I say plots because there is a whole mess a things going on in this book. For the sake of brevity (and my sanity) I am going break this review into bullet points:
- What I liked
- What I didn't
- My rating and recommendation
What I liked: I am one of millions of overweight Americans. I like to eat big and I like my stories the same way that I like my food - rich, robust, and slowly killing me... That's what I got with The Way of Kings (well except the ‘killing me’ part). The scope of this story is epic and it's characters are some of the most well developed in any book that I've read. The action scenes are worthy of the great battles fought in Mistborn, and the drama and mystery are compelling. And of course, in true Sanderson fashion, there are unexpected plot twists that I should have seen coming but didn't - especially at the end.
What I didn't like: The book opens with a killer, fast-paced action scene and then....nothing…. for a very long time. If you're looking for another Mistborn then you will be a bit disappointed. The Way of Kings seems to have a very different motive than to wow action-fantasy nerds. That's not to say it's not good, it's just a different kind of story with very different pacing - more like Elantris. Another thing that bothered me was that there were a few scenes that felt like they ought to have been cut. One in particular where a man with magical tattoos is introduced, and then never heard from again. I understand Sanderson is world-building for ten books, but some of the Way of Kings felt like information overload.
My Rating and Recommendation: The Way of Kings is a book you definitely do not want to miss. It's level of character development and drama is excellent. However, be warned, not a lot of action with an ending that deliberately doesn't satisfy. A- for the Way of Kings.

My First Novel

Truth be told, this isn't my first novel. I've written others. It's just the first one that has been released to the public. It's the first that I have felt confident is good enough to publish. This post may seem self-serving........and it is. After all, what good is investing years of your life and pieces of your very soul in a project if you don't share it? My wife taught me that (the longer we've been married the more I'm starting to see just how much smarter than me she really is). Ok, enough rambling. About my book:

Valcoria, Children of the Crystal Star is a fantasy story told from the points of view of several characters. However, the story centers around Yuiv, a fourteen year-old street-thief who's kind and honest heart seem incongruous with the criminal's life he is leading. But growing up on the streets of an Amigus border-town has developed his sense of self-preservation to the point that he is able to ignore his sensitive conscience when the situation calls for it. This gets Yuiv into trouble when, for a bag of silver and the promise of freedom from prison, he is tricked into helping a corrupt governor betray his own country by secretly admitting an enemy army into the town. Yuiv is then double-crossed by his employer and thrown back into prison to await a secret (and horrific) execution. There he meets a captured Amigus soldier named Sitrell. Freed from prison by an anonymous sympathizer, the two escape the conquered town and embark on a desperate quest to warn the leaders of Amigus of the invasion. Sitrell is wounded during their flight and starts to fade. This crisis awakens something inside Yuiv and he taps an unknown power which he uses to save Sitrell from death. Thus begins the first step Yuiv takes on realizing his destiny as a Kalyra, a word that means Child of the Crystal Star. The Kalyra can tap what's called Jia - the substance from which a person’s soul is made, and use it to exercise supernatural control over themselves and their environment. Fans of Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson will recognize a similar style of narrative, but with more action. Make no mistake, this is an action fantasy with plenty of large scale battles as well as exciting duels. And while I intend to make Valcoria a seven volume series, Children of the Crystal Star stands on its in own with a distinct and satisfying ending. Check it out. I think even non-fantasy fans will find it interesting and enjoyable.
Thanks,
Jason

The Way of AWESOMENESS!!!

Eleven year-old street thief, Azoth, has aspirations to be something more than just a petty criminal. He wants to be a Wetboy - an elite group of ninja-like assassins that can use magic. To accomplish this, Azoth decides to apprentice with Durzo Blint, the city's most notorious and dangerous Wetboy. Reluctant to take an apprentice, Blint challenges Azoth to prove he can be a Wetboy by killing the abusive leader of Azoth's thieves’ guild, Rat - a sociopath with a sick interest in young boys. Azoth kills Rat, proving to Durzo that he can kill and thus begins his Wetboy training. The Way of Shadows hooked me from the first chapter, and I quickly became emotionally invested in the story. Brent Week's characters are complex people with believable struggles and varied outlooks. With plenty of action, and superb storytelling, The Way of Shadows feels like a melding of Wizard's First Rule, Mistborn, and Nolan’s Batman. Be warned, however, for this book has a gritty edge that at times is very disturbing and is full of adult content. While there are not really any actual sex scenes, the story is full of sexual references and inferences, and Week's has a weird habit of dropping the F-bomb, so much so that it detracted from the story. If you have a strong stomach, and aren't offended by strong language, then this book is a must-read. A- for The Way of Shadows!

The Truest of Grit

Jeff Bridges takes on the role of "Rooster" Cogburn, a down-on-his-luck, alcoholic, US Marshall with a reputation for having an itchy trigger finger. Cogburn is hired by 14 year-old Matti Ross to hunt down the man who killed her father, and the two of them are joined by Matt Damon who plays a "by-the-book" Texas Ranger named LeBeouf. Bridges redeems himself for participating in Tron by delivering a performance as entertaining and endearing as Johnny Depp's Captain Jack Sparrow. And newcomer Hailee Steinfeld compliments Bridges sloppy, dereliction as his spunky, resourceful, and uninvited sidekick. The film starts out very promising, but a thin and uneventful plot kills its momentum, and True Grit finishes slow with a sloppy, dissatisfying ending. Like Pirates, this movie is made by the performance of its star, but is otherwise unremarkable.
- 2.5 stars for True Grit.