Melissa
I have loved each installment of this series so far. The religious themes were always apparent, but in an open and vague sort of way that didn't isolate a non-Christian reader. I also very much enjoy angel versus demons themes pulled from Christian mythology. The author being Catholic is very apparent, and that was also perfectly okay by me. Of course he's going to explore his existential musings in his books with that religious lens. I quite enjoy that as long as I'm not being preached at.
But then, boom! Egg Jesus. The Quiet being a monotheistic entity was always known, but vague and nuanced. Now, there's no wiggle room. This is the Christian god. Our “good” angel explains this by describing that, actually, Hadrian isn't saving the existence of this god. Silly Hadrian, god wants to save you! The egg is just an incarnation of himself that will still inevitably come, and that their Oracle incarnation has been killed once before (Jesus). You can't stop egg Jesus, Hadrian. Judgement Day is coming no matter what you do.
We the readers get to experience a whole sermon directed at egg Jesus's wayward sheep (Hadrian). In a church, no less. By an angel. And don't forget God is like, so sad by human suffering. He'd really like to save you from this galactic genocide with scary predator aliens but that would make him a tyrant to interfere. Don't worry, he totally loves you. Now follow His plan already!
If this was clearly labeled as Christian Fic, I would have been able to make an informed choice. Christian Sci-Fi as a genre should absolutely exist. But I shouldn't have had to experience a bait and switch 6 books in for that sub-genre to make itself clear.
I'm not sure how to write a review for this. Did I enjoy it? Was locking myself in the bathroom sobbing enjoyable?
It's not a fun read, but it's an important one. We get inside the main characters head through journal entries. We see him as a simple minded person who is blissfully socially unaware. Then we see his mind expand to proportions where he experiences the social pitfalls of intelligence without experience. And then everything falls apart.
We as readers are forced to confront our biases against people who are more or less intellectual than ourselves, and confront possible ignorance over the subject of disability entirely. Most people still have a lack of exposure to people with these disabilities. They get swept under the rug. Out of sight, out of mind. People are often in the habit of ignoring what makes us uncomfortable. We shouldn't be doing that to people.
It hurt to read, but I'm glad I did.
And don't forget to leave flowers for Algernon.
An incredible amount of world building with a significant cast of characters. The first half was unfortunately a chore to read. There's a lot of people and cultural nuances to navigate initially. Once I got to the halfway mark, it really took off. I was hooked. If the first half was presented in an easier fashion I'd have given this another star. Still worth the read if you're a veteran of fantasy slogs and can weather the journey.
This has many interesting concepts of gods, demons, and time travel. I'd say a fairly original plot even held up against modern fantasy.
However, there are times when it feels a chore to read. The plot could have developed more smoothly and the Hunter/huntbrother relationship could have been developed more believably. The brother's chapters were more difficult to get through and I found myself just wanting to focus on Evayne and Kallandras.
You get thrown around a lot in a jarring way, but there's something special here. A clumsy start with infinite promise.
What a fun time! Tiger's internal dialogue is hilarious. It can be a bit heavy handed with explaining to the reader how he's wrong about women, but this was written in the 80's. And it quickly establishes what we all know nowadays, that women are badass too. Tiger gets better. He grows up about it. Then you get an emotional story of two broken people figuring out their lives, together.
I had completely missed out on this book as a child. So how is it for someone in their 30's?
Very enjoyable, actually. The story, travel, and resolution is obviously aimed at children. Nonetheless, these themes have a unique charm. An oracle pig, a bard who maybe embellishes too much, a grouchy dwarf, a hairy manlike creature, and a very cheeky sorceress come together to help create a truly memorable cast.
The moral lessons contained within are still relevant for children today. I think this should be on the shelf of any fantasy lover, at the very least to be available for child readers.
This was a really rough start. I was incredibly bored and pushed through only because of other reviews. And I'm so glad I did!
Things slowly get more interesting once Hayholt is behind you. The lore and characters of the world start making sense. It's so lush and immersive. I wound up getting very invested, despite how many players are involved in the plot. Gods there are a lot of characters! You flit around so many perspectives and it made my head spin occasionally. But in the end, it makes sense. I was not left confused by who each character was.
Also thrilled that there are Asian and Inuit inspired peoples, at least in language formatting. Binabik and Jeriki are the absolute best characters. Even Simon stops being an idiot eventually. I cut him some slack because all teenagers are cringe. It's par for the course.
There are also two women being set up for greater things so we're going to get more female representation, I hope.
“Never make your home in a place. Make a home for yourself in your own head. You'll find what you need to furnish it-memory, friends you can trust, love of learning, and other such things. That way it will go with you wherever you journey. You'll never lack for a home-unless you lose your head, of course”
She's done it again! A new cast of characters so vivid and real and flawed. So easy to get invested in. A little bit Tarzan, a little bit Lord of The Flies are some of the vibes I get. Not to mention the incredible cast of dragons! We get to see how individual they actually are. I'm completely emotionally invested, again.
A classic fantasy adventure story- with cats! This is a fun journey about a cat trying to locate his missing girlfriend. He winds up getting into more than he bargained for! This story is an adorable palette cleanser, with a few dark twists. One moment you'll read subtle Lord of The Rings references, the next you'll encounter light body horror. Probably not something to read as bedtime story material. A must read for classic fantasy lovers.
A slow, emotional burn. This is a very political fantasy with easy to understand themes that have been both relevant in the time periods this novel was inspired by, to present day.
Paula Volsky does an excellent job building the plot and political climate to explain just how the masses can become agreeable or complacent with tyranny. We see how initial good intent can grow to something catastrophic. We see all the ugly and beautiful sides of human nature.
This is far more than a fantasy version of the French Revolution. That is but the tip of the iceberg, here. Paula Volsky has taken inspiration from several dark times in history. It's an intensely emotional ride.
