Jimmy
It's quite amazing to see how quickly Bernard Cornwell found his formula with the Sharpe novels. As the first of the books to be written, I wasn't quite sure what to expect of the writing quality, but I can certainly see how this book kicked off the success story of the series more generally. It's true that this particular tale felt a bit less nuanced than the ones that come before it chronologically - Sharpe essentially does no wrong, the adversaries are telegraphed and are all eminently punchable in the face, and the romance was about as deep as the Spanish allies are reliable. But the core story beats just work, and Cornwell clearly demonstrates a natural aptitude for depicting the realities for battle from the ground level with all its confusion and brutality. A solid, fun read, nothing ground-breaking but a perfect palate cleanser after something heavy.
It's quite amazing to see how quickly Bernard Cornwell found his formula with the Sharpe novels. As the first of the books to be written, I wasn't quite sure what to expect of the writing quality, but I can certainly see how this book kicked off the success story of the series more generally. It's true that this particular tale felt a bit less nuanced than the ones that come before it chronologically - Sharpe essentially does no wrong, the adversaries are telegraphed and are all eminently punchable in the face, and the romance was about as deep as the Spanish allies are reliable. But the core story beats just work, and Cornwell clearly demonstrates a natural aptitude for depicting the realities for battle from the ground level with all its confusion and brutality. A solid, fun read, nothing ground-breaking but a perfect palate cleanser after something heavy.
It's quite amazing to see how quickly Bernard Cornwell found his formula with the Sharpe novels. As the first of the books to be written, I wasn't quite sure what to expect of the writing quality, but I can certainly see how this book kicked off the success story of the series more generally. It's true that this particular tale felt a bit less nuanced than the ones that come before it chronologically - Sharpe essentially does no wrong, the adversaries are telegraphed and are all eminently punchable in the face, and the romance was about as deep as the Spanish allies are reliable. But the core story beats just work, and Cornwell clearly demonstrates a natural aptitude for depicting the realities for battle from the ground level with all its confusion and brutality. A solid, fun read, nothing ground-breaking but a perfect palate cleanser after something heavy.
It's quite amazing to see how quickly Bernard Cornwell found his formula with the Sharpe novels. As the first of the books to be written, I wasn't quite sure what to expect of the writing quality, but I can certainly see how this book kicked off the success story of the series more generally. It's true that this particular tale felt a bit less nuanced than the ones that come before it chronologically - Sharpe essentially does no wrong, the adversaries are telegraphed and are all eminently punchable in the face, and the romance was about as deep as the Spanish allies are reliable. But the core story beats just work, and Cornwell clearly demonstrates a natural aptitude for depicting the realities for battle from the ground level with all its confusion and brutality. A solid, fun read, nothing ground-breaking but a perfect palate cleanser after something heavy.
The Dandelion Dynasty series is a quintessential case of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts. While I don’t think any individual book quite cracks my favourites of all time, Ken Liu has, across this quartet of tomes, crafted an extremely deeply thought-out world, replete with cultures, histories, traditions, philosophies and mythologies. Against this backdrop he has then unravelled a plot which is so intricate and expansive in scope that there was no way I could I predicted the conclusion that was reached by the end of the final book.
There are so many things which this series does well. While it undeniably draws very heavily on imperial Chinese history and various conflicts and interactions the Chinese dynasties had with northern nomadic peoples, this derivation is much more than window dressing. Liu has clearly thought through and expanded on the various aspects which he has taken inspiration from and there is a very organic feel to how they both work within the world that he has created and inform the views and actions of the characters. The stand out example of this to me (and one of the main ways this series differentiates itself in my eyes) is the manner in which language, writing and philosophy were woven into how the characters thought and acted and also had a critical impact on major plot points, which I feel I haven’t seen to such a degree since reading Tolkien. The way that the characters were built up with innate personalities based on their upbringing and background, which were then meaningfully changed and challenged by the people they interact with and the experiences they undergo, was also quite compelling to me.
The other main thing which has impressed me immensely with this series is how it deals with inter-cultural conflict - not just as a clash of two different peoples who are intent on self preservation or conquest, but as a collision of ways of life, age old customs and deep-seated morals. When two peoples are so fundamentally different, but somehow have to coexist, there are undeniably issues that arise at every level of society, from the rulers down to the lowest class, and from an individual’s personal perspective to the macro view of the state. The Dandelion Dynasty taps into all of these, and has characters grappling with questions like how certain values can mean different things in each culture, whether one can truly forgive the atrocities of the past committed by both sides, what is the greater good for both cultures, what does it mean to belong to one culture or the other, or both… I cannot think of another fantasy book or series where both the plot and characters are so tied up with the consideration of these kinds of issues of humanity and the outcomes of the decisions made in response at both personal and political levels.
This isn’t a perfect series. Across four doorstopper books, there are certainly places where pacing suffers and time jumps are sometimes confusing to follow. Some of the side characters are also fell into recognisable stereotypes. I also had a minor suspension-of-belief gripe (particularly in the last book) with the technological leaps that were being made in the time given, even though the actual inventions themselves as twists on real world devices was extremely creative. In the end though, it is no denying that this is a monumental work which ticks boxes across the board - for world building, character development, unique prose, high stakes, climactic battles, unpredictable plot… the list goes on. It belongs in the S Tier for me, and although I’m not slating for an immediate re-read, I can already see it will be just as rewarding an experience, if not more, when I get to it.
The Dandelion Dynasty series is a quintessential case of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts. While I don’t think any individual book quite cracks my favourites of all time, Ken Liu has, across this quartet of tomes, crafted an extremely deeply thought-out world, replete with cultures, histories, traditions, philosophies and mythologies. Against this backdrop he has then unravelled a plot which is so intricate and expansive in scope that there was no way I could I predicted the conclusion that was reached by the end of the final book.
There are so many things which this series does well. While it undeniably draws very heavily on imperial Chinese history and various conflicts and interactions the Chinese dynasties had with northern nomadic peoples, this derivation is much more than window dressing. Liu has clearly thought through and expanded on the various aspects which he has taken inspiration from and there is a very organic feel to how they both work within the world that he has created and inform the views and actions of the characters. The stand out example of this to me (and one of the main ways this series differentiates itself in my eyes) is the manner in which language, writing and philosophy were woven into how the characters thought and acted and also had a critical impact on major plot points, which I feel I haven’t seen to such a degree since reading Tolkien. The way that the characters were built up with innate personalities based on their upbringing and background, which were then meaningfully changed and challenged by the people they interact with and the experiences they undergo, was also quite compelling to me.
The other main thing which has impressed me immensely with this series is how it deals with inter-cultural conflict - not just as a clash of two different peoples who are intent on self preservation or conquest, but as a collision of ways of life, age old customs and deep-seated morals. When two peoples are so fundamentally different, but somehow have to coexist, there are undeniably issues that arise at every level of society, from the rulers down to the lowest class, and from an individual’s personal perspective to the macro view of the state. The Dandelion Dynasty taps into all of these, and has characters grappling with questions like how certain values can mean different things in each culture, whether one can truly forgive the atrocities of the past committed by both sides, what is the greater good for both cultures, what does it mean to belong to one culture or the other, or both… I cannot think of another fantasy book or series where both the plot and characters are so tied up with the consideration of these kinds of issues of humanity and the outcomes of the decisions made in response at both personal and political levels.
This isn’t a perfect series. Across four doorstopper books, there are certainly places where pacing suffers and time jumps are sometimes confusing to follow. Some of the side characters are also fell into recognisable stereotypes. I also had a minor suspension-of-belief gripe (particularly in the last book) with the technological leaps that were being made in the time given, even though the actual inventions themselves as twists on real world devices was extremely creative. In the end though, it is no denying that this is a monumental work which ticks boxes across the board - for world building, character development, unique prose, high stakes, climactic battles, unpredictable plot… the list goes on. It belongs in the S Tier for me, and although I’m not slating for an immediate re-read, I can already see it will be just as rewarding an experience, if not more, when I get to it.
As someone who watched plenty of British comedy while living in the UK as well as being an avid follower of the Would I Lie To You? show, Unruly comes across as a very faithful representation of what it would be like if David Mitchell did an extended history show, replete with sardonic side-notes and rambling rants together with some astute observations. I essentially read this book with the iconic voice of David Mitchell in my head, without even needing the audiobook.
I found it a decent balance between a good chortle and some serious historical analysis, which certainly provides a modern-day dressing down of some of the institutions, relics and personages which are considered hallmarks of British history, but I can see the enjoyment of this book depends heavily on whether the reader enjoys David Mitchell's sense of humour. I'm also unsure about the impact or longevity of the book for a non-UK reader thanks to its high concentration of references to contemporary and recent UK events, many of which would have flown over my head had I not lived there for a few years.
If you are looking for a detailed and intensely researched chronological narrative of the English monarchs, this is not the book for you, but if you instead want to take a cynically lighthearted romp through the Dark to Middle Ages of British history with a focus on those at the top, I think this suits well. Bonus points if you are already semi-engaged with British politics and culture.
As someone who watched plenty of British comedy while living in the UK as well as being an avid follower of the Would I Lie To You? show, Unruly comes across as a very faithful representation of what it would be like if David Mitchell did an extended history show, replete with sardonic side-notes and rambling rants together with some astute observations. I essentially read this book with the iconic voice of David Mitchell in my head, without even needing the audiobook.
I found it a decent balance between a good chortle and some serious historical analysis, which certainly provides a modern-day dressing down of some of the institutions, relics and personages which are considered hallmarks of British history, but I can see the enjoyment of this book depends heavily on whether the reader enjoys David Mitchell's sense of humour. I'm also unsure about the impact or longevity of the book for a non-UK reader thanks to its high concentration of references to contemporary and recent UK events, many of which would have flown over my head had I not lived there for a few years.
If you are looking for a detailed and intensely researched chronological narrative of the English monarchs, this is not the book for you, but if you instead want to take a cynically lighthearted romp through the Dark to Middle Ages of British history with a focus on those at the top, I think this suits well. Bonus points if you are already semi-engaged with British politics and culture.
