Matt Mattson

I would not recommend this book at all. I am giving it 2 stars because it has many interesting images (not all of which feel relevant to the text they accompany, nor are they well-explained).

The book discusses central American religious and mythological beliefs. Going into this book with limited understanding of the background of this region, I learned very little about the different cultures about which the book speaks. The Nahua, Mayas and the Aztecs are the most prominent of these cultures, but I still know very little about them. The book goes about their mythologies in a thematic way, introducing the themes mainly through story analysis (the stories themselves are summarily narrated). I understand that some of these cultures are very similar, to the point where the same gods appear with sl,ightly different names. But I have no idea what gods do what, how they were worshipped (except for Quatzicoatl) and what their cults entailed. Usually gods are introduced as ‘X, god of rain', where later several other gods of rain are introduced with no explanation as to why there are so many of them.
Finally, I was very unimpressed at the denigration of Pre-Columbian Mesoamerican culture in comparison to Judeo-Christian religious understandings. In fact, I believe that the author's view of religion and mythology is flawed, and thoroughly unacademic and opinionated.

A survey of the excavations carried out by the institute of antiquities in Cyprus over the late nineteen fifties and sixties. The book is made up of two major parts- the cemeteries and the gymnasium. The highlights were 1- the scenic layout of the gymnasium; 2- the tragic horse/ donkey sacrifices.

Several cemetery sites are discussed with detailed figures and colour plates of some of the more interesting finds. The way the sites are described is too formulaic. It sometimes felt as though the only changing things were the measurements. The finds themselves were very fascinating as were the personal stories about the previous excavation missions and stories about looters.

The gymnasium read very much like a survey, given it was a very passionate one. The site is clearly beautiful, and the author makes an effort to bring this beauty across in his writing.

My main problem with this book is that it lacks narrative. It is a disorganised mess of entries. It is confusing and its contents are rendered forgettable through their similarity to one another and the repetitiveness of their descriptions.

Reading this book, I could not help but constantly think that its plot is so well suited for a 1 hour long episode in a series.

My favourite part of a Terry Pratchett book is its sense of humour. This was not the case with this particular book. Here, the best part of the story was its amazing plot. The story was very well developed, and the characters were all amazing. There were a few funny moments, of course, but not quite the same as the previous books in Discworld.

Besides the humour, I also missed Luggage. Luggage's predicament is, I am sure, going to be resolved in one of the next books in Discworld, but I feel that its presence in this book left something to be desired for me.

All in all, Sourcery is interesting and captivating. It is worth reading for its great story, but it lacks Pratchett's famous humour as it appears in some of his other works.

This book gives a somewhat basic introduction to pirate history. Many details are glossed over, and a few of the details that make this topic as appealing as it is are missed out on. Being a long-time listener of the Pirate History Podcast, I enjoyed this book thoroughly. I already had those interesting details in my mind as I re-visited the many names that make pirate history what it is. Furthermore, the many pictures in the book really make the experience of reading it much more enjoyable.

There are several major criticisms, however. The book is printed as a revised version of a supplement of particular museum exhibition on pirates. I was surprised to find that few if any of the pictures of the book show museum items. these were mostly artists rendtions of piratical figures and events.
On another note, since narratives of pirate history tend to centre around particlar characters, this book also focused on particular people more than others. Figures such as captain Francis Drake, William Kidd and lady Shih. I think that there was a fine line between condensing the history of a particular period and focusing on individuals, and this book does not manage to strike a balance. In its chapter on the Golden Age of Piracy, the book focuses mainly on captain Kidd, cutting out the stories of Blackbeard, Charles Vain and such others almost entirely. Many of the important players of the era are entirely missed out on unless the reader knows from before to look for them, such as the British Admiralty, or the Dutch and Swedish East India Company.

Overall, this is a very fun read for anyone who is interested in pirates and pirate history. I'd recommend having Wikipedia at hand for any event or figure that would strike thge readers' interest.

An amazing story, well told, but feels like propaganda.

The book retells the story of how South Korean actress Choi Eun-Hee and director Shin Sang-Ok were abducted by the North Korean regime. They were tortured, pampered, indoctrinated and forced to work for the totalitarian government.
Throughout the story, the narrative constantly tells of the hardships of the North Koreans and the dangers of life in that country. The reader is constantly reminded that many North Koreans have fled that country, emphasising that this likely resulted in the death and harsh punishment of their close relatives, even their children.
Their eventual escape from DPRK captivity is followed by their testimony and some hard evidence in the form of casette recordings and photographs.

The author of the book has conducted extensive research to provide as trustworthy an account as possibe. He has even travelled to Pyongyang and seen some of the buildings in the book first hand.

What I found hard to read, even distasteful at times, was the constant reference to the destitute nature of DPRK. It just makes the whole story hard to believe. I find myself believing the story of the South Korean couple, but not the details added by the author himself.