Adam

This was a great, character driven story that I had a hard time putting down. It was a good heist story with enough twists to still feel surprising. I'm looking forward to the next book because the ending here was one of those where you realize you are on the last page and look at the author's photo on the back flap and go “You jerk!” So needless to say I already picked up the next book.

I really enjoyed this. Great transitions, lots of action and weirdness galore. I'll always and forever wonder what got lost in translation, but Sapkowski's ability to take us through Geralt's world without holding our hands was really appreciated. There was just enough backstory without getting heavy handed and the monster threats were very real and very entertaining.

This was an exceptionally good collection. I really enjoyed the Daigoro focused stories.

Confession: I'll probably always rate these 5 stars. For me there is something indescribably great about these books. I haven't read anything else like them and the art is so closely tied with the experience of the story telling it's very satisfying.

I didn't finish this book. It started out well enough and I enjoyed large parts of it, but it sputtered out near the end for me and I couldn't muster the enthusiasm to finish. I am not the target demographic for this book, so I don't believe it's the fault of the author, for me personally it just fell off.

I wanted to give this book better marks. I really did. I love the character and I enjoyed the art... it just felt too familiar and clunky at the same time. 3 stars may be generous too.

Meh. This one did it, monkey's off my back. There's no real stakes in these books, they have no teeth since “Redmond” is basically untouchable. I like James Asmus and Andy Diggle, but this series really starts to flatten out.

I don't know what it is about this series, but I am still reading it. It doesn't blow my hair back and some of it feels predictable (whether it is or not), but I am still compelled to keep reading. If I sort it out I'll let you know, otherwise - solid, not amazing series with great art.

–>Re-read review–
I'm not crying, you're crying. My god, BKV is one emotionally manipulative bastard and I'm apparently a glutton for punishment because I keep coming back. It just works, even if I know I'm being played. There isn't really another book like this one and I'm grateful we have it.

(Original review) I understand that these books aren't for everyone. I get it. BUT WHAT IS WRONG WITH THOSE PEOPLE?!?! I love the Saga series more than any other comic I've ever read. As an episodic story it's done everything I've wanted it to: great characters, emotional conflict, twists and turns, interesting settings/locations, unusual visuals/concepts... I could do this for a long time. Fiona Staples' art is always deeply moving and BKV writes and paces his story in a way that is very satisfying. Again, I understand not everyone loves these books, but I always will.

For a YA audience this was fantastic. Interesting world, several twists, no Deus Ex Machina, no talking down to the reader. I didn't realize this wasn't going to be a stand-alone when I read it and now I'm grumbling about another series I have to wait on, but that seems like a decent problem to have.

Thor + Jason Aaron is an easy bet for me, but the way this story is laid out really sold me on it. Great kick off for the new Thor.

After reading this I understand why so many people seem conflicted about it. Spoiler: no big action pieces or super hero fights. BUT more humanity and frailty than in the majority of big label comics. It was much more a psychological, suspense story. Still trying to process it, but the deliberate pacing and attention to tone really had an impact. Starting volume 2 asap.

I found this book on a YA recommended reading list and tried to set my expectations accordingly. Parts of it are well written, with great action and emotional depth. Other parts feel pretty thin, at least when viewed against other Sanderson work. As a YA recommendation, it was good. I was simply hoping for a little more.

Just finished the audiobook and while I'm glad I finished the series I can't but feel a little disappointed in the ending. This was a re-read for me, but it had been long enough that I didn't remember all of the details, so there was still some entertainment to be had. That said, some of the “twists and turns” in this book are broadcast far enough in advance that it isn't as surprising as it wants to be. Our newest characters, Princess Skara and Raith the sword bearer, have their interesting points, but are both fairly shallow ponds at the end of the day. Some of that may be due to the fact they are the last to arrive to our already crowded story, so they may simply not get as much time as others received before them.

As in any “heroes tale” we will lose characters we like, see those we don't have some victories and ultimately get an ending where “good” triumphs. That last part was maybe my biggest gripe - there was some real deus ex machina here that, while set up in advance, still felt like cheating the audience by the end. I don't think it was lazy writing, we've been building to this for 3 books, but it wasn't satisfying. It felt like the contrivance set up in book 1 was just underutilized or maybe just sloppily rolled out at the end of 3.

This is still a series I can say I enjoyed overall and can see recommending to certain readers, I just don't think it's for everyone. People who read a lot of fantasy may have some complaints, but newer readers to the genre or those who want a quicker read (for that vein anyway) should enjoy this.

Having gone through the whole series now I can say that the first book has the best twists, but this has the best complete story. Thorn is a compelling character and the journey here is fun, frustrating and satisfying. The way the narrative shifts to her (and her friend's) story while keeping the larger world in focus made this far more entertaining than if it was just about Yarvi.

The audiobook is enjoyable and I can also recommend it for a listen. It moves pretty quickly considering how big the story is.

re-read 06/24, audiobook this time. I forgot a lot of this one and needed something for a road trip. This was a lot of fun to get back to, some big twists, lots of heart, fun world to explore. I'm jumping into the next audiobook right away since I have such a thin memory of this series. I'm sad I didn't write a review the first time through because I would be curious to see if my feelings had changed much. I really enjoyed this one!

I think NotW is the superior book, but hot damn if this doesn't beat so many others out there.

re-read 2020 - I still think the first book is the more satisfying read, but mostly because it does a good job of being a well maintained story within itself. This one really needs another volume after it to justify all the time spent in the latter half doing 100 side quests. At this point there are sections I just don't care that much about because I think they really need paid off further.

There is something oddly endearing about this book. Not just the protagonist, not just the setting, there is something unique about the whole of the story. In equal parts I feel like I'm closer to the world of The Kingkiller Chronicle and to Auri. I read this book in a day and I'm looking forward to revisiting it often.

The character motivation is clear, the antagonists are actually menacing and the threat is more real than ever. There are giant battles here in all their shonen glory and some panels that are over-reactions for comedic effect, but at the core of this volume was the personal stakes for the characters. We get new kaiju introduced who will have huge ramifications for the story moving forward and we also dive into the psyche of several main characters. This really sums up why I enjoy this series and keep coming back; it manages to surprise from time to time and keeps you invested. It doesn't forget the humanity we need in storytelling not to just tune out. (Also giant fights and comedy make for quick reading so these fly by)

This was one of the first Neil Gaiman stories I read and I immediately understood his appeal. For me, his approach to story telling and character is a wonderful balance of people wanting to be their best and struggling with their flaws. There is a more elegant way to put it, but this is the simplest explanation of why I enjoy his work.

I liked this better than the rating might reflect and I hold hope that the series gets better. I'm intrigued about both the characters and the tone. Let's see what book 2 holds.

I appreciate that this series keeps track of time and for all the journeying Frieren and company do, we see more than just the seasons change. The cast of characters continues to rotate as they travel as do the challenges they face. The pacing of this story is also commendable; it feels like I've read far more than just 4 volumes, in the best way possible. This series isn't overly dramatic or flashy, but it delivers on heart and plot.

In this volume Aki and Bokutake play a larger role and they bring a lot to the story. The more “gifted” characters we're introduced to the more interesting this world continues to become. The lore building keeps this series intriguing and the pace keeps you riveted. I appreciate that when we are left with cliffhangers between volumes they are in parts of the story where it is earned. It's not drama for it's own sake, it's in service of the story having stakes and keeping the characters in peril. I still highly recommend this series for both the storytelling and art.

Conceptually this was one of the most interesting volumes to date. It was thoughtful, specific and layered. It also included people fighting giant kaiju with hilariously oversized weapons, so I'm not trying to say it was Steinbeck level prose, but it was a lot of fun. I really like where this series is going, I like that it has continued to scale up in a measured yet meaningful way and I love that it still centers on the people. The individuals that make up the defense force and their personal backstories play a huge part in this volume and it makes it that much more engrossing. 10/10 installment

Overall this was a great installment. We see several characters “level up” their gear or skills and the kaiju threat gets bigger. There is incremental build in just about ever aspect of the story, including Kafka's personal life, and that is the sort of volume I was hoping for. After so much change so quickly in that couple volumes this one allows some more personal moments even if it didn't slow down at all.