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I have wing envy!

The Cloud Roads by Martha Wells

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I'd never read any of Martha Wells work when I bought Cloud Roads, and so I was pleasantly surprised when it quickly hooked me. Wells puts a fresh spin on the "self discovery of a hero" theme by giving her protagonist, Moon, the ability to transform into a dragon-like winged beast. She also does a fantastic job of world building her setting: "The Three Worlds." My only complaint was that Moon's race was so different in culture that I had a hard time connecting with him, which sometimes took me out of the story. Very alien creatures work good for secondary characters, but it hurts a story's immersion factor when applied too much to the prime protagonist. Even so, Cloud Roads is a great, quick read that I enthusiastically recommend.



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Green's my favorite color!

Inheritance by Christopher Paolini

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


Christopher Paolini’s long awaited conclusion to the Eragon saga meticulously wraps up every plot thread that the young author has spun in the almost ten years since he was professionally published (something that I found a little irritating). Still, Inheritance was a must-read for me as I loved the first book. But sadly, the sequels Eldest and Brisngr didn’t eclipse the first book’s excellence, and Inheritance is no different. I think that actually made me dislike Inheritance more than I otherwise would have. Instead of going out with a bang, Paolini gives us more of the same with no surprising plot twists or breathtaking revelations. Like with Eldest and Brisngr, Inheritance suffers from long stretches of uninteresting filler chapters, and wooden melodramatic dialogue, with an ending that is sour and anticlimactic. I did like this book, but only because I loved the first one.
P.S – If Star Wars and Lord of the Rings had a baby, and then was adopted by Dragon Riders of Pern, it would look like the Inheritance Cycle….just sayin….




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Warbreaker

Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I know you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but this art - while good in its own right - captures none of the essence of the story. In fact, it put me off and I only read this because of my man-crush on Sanderson. Excellent writing, and a good story, but needs a new cover.



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Alloy of Law Review

So no clever title for this post. It probably has to do with the pain meds I am taking for a surgery I just had, so if something in this review doesn't make sense...Eh. Alloy of Law takes place three centuries after the closing scenes of Hero of Ages, the world now in a technological state comparable to the late 1800's in the U.S. The plot centers around Waxillium, an allomancer frontier law-man who returns to the city of Elendel after the tragic death of his lover. Now returned to the life as a nobleman he rejected, Wax struggles to find his place in high society. Unable to leave crime fighting alone, he quickly becomes involved in working against a gang of train robbers calling themselves "The Vanishers" - something that draws the condemnation of his noble peers. What can I say? I love Mistborn, The Well of Ascension, and Hero of Ages. Those are my absolute favorite Sanderson titles, and he has proved time and again that he won't disappoint me. While Alloy of Law does a decent job of explaining the rules of Allomancy and Feurochemy, this book really is for those already familiar with the Mistborn novels. As with Sanderson's other works, Alloy of Law has a thoughtfully planned plot that unfolds with plenty of twists and turns and endearing characters. My only real complaint about Alloy of Law was that it was too short. If you liked the Mistborn Trilogy, Alloy of Law is a must-read. "A" for the short, but enjoyable Alloy of Law.