Susana Imaginário
God in the Machine is a book that should definitely be judged by its cover. The care the author put into it shows on every page.
The main plot follows two brothers, Elias and Leo, learning to survive in a world that is both dystopian and fantastical. The writing style suits the genre and is very cinematic. I could almost ‘watch' the story as if it was a movie while I read it. The author did an amazing job keeping the plot moving at an engaging pace. The ending was unexpected, and I'm intrigued to see how the story will unfold in the next books.
Overall, God in the Machine is an enjoyable read with a good premise, interesting characters, and an unusual world with much left to explore.
700 years of alternate history.
William Ward discovers he's the heir to a vast fortune, and all he has to do is fight pure evil to keep it. As any good hero would do, he immediately quits his job and embarks on a journey around the world, determined to unravel the mysteries of his ancestors and claim his inheritance.
Lord of the Wills mixes alternate history with science fiction in a modern world setting. The writing style fits the story, and there's a detailed genealogy tree at the start of the book to guide the reader through the many generations of the different families involved in the plot.
If you enjoy long journeys and don't mind a few historical and geographical inconsistencies, you'll love this book.
Cloud Atlas meets Black Mirror
I was given a free audible code by the author in exchange for an honest review and had no idea what to expect (one shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth, after all). I have to admit; I was not prepared for this.
What immediately caught my attention was the writing. It's not just good, it's great. First person present is my favourite perspective, but few writers manage to get it right. Weyman does. His writing is witty, sharp and concise. There's never a dull moment between sentences. And the stories are brilliant! The different genres and the way they fit together got me praising and cursing the author in equal amounts.
Definitely the most original read of the year for me.
I recommend this book to anyone who appreciates a complex and well-written story.
I was looking for a quick read to clear my mind of epic fantasy tomes with dozens of characters and world ending stakes. Something simple and introspective with one or two characters. The Ghost Beside Me fit the bill.
Beware reader, this is not a story about vengeful ghosts in the attic, haunting the sanity out of the living but a fleeting tale of self-discovery, loneliness and longing for connection that many introverts will relate to.
E. Neville reminds me of a romanticised version of Bernardo Soares, and there's something almost Lovecraftian about the writing itself, which could have been greatly improved with another editing pass or two.
Overall, the ghost beside me is worth the read, whether or not you believe in ghosts.
The best self-published book I've read all year.
Well written, clever, humourous and featuring a cast of engaging characters. I often found myself laughing out loud at some of the witty passages. Brilliant!
The Scattered King is a character-driven story with a complex plot aimed at an adult audience. I admit I had little idea of what was going on for about a third of the book and just kept reading for the pleasure of the narrative itself.
The book ends almost abruptly just as the story finally starts to make sense. It's all right, it's a series after all.
The audio narration took some getting used to, and the editing was jarring at times.
The author provided me with a free copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review. The opportunity was a pleasure and I intend to continue reading this series.
Lord of Empathy tells the story of Bren, a mysterious self made man and talented Empath who rules the slums. This position however is not only illegal but precarious under the current state of affairs.
In a world ruled by Empaths, the society's elite, able to manipulate emotions for personal and political gain, Bren's rule will always be under threat, so in order to protect his interests Bren sets in motion a series of events with unexpected consequences.
More than Bren's uncanny ability to manipulate emotions is his intelligence and how he uses his talent on both friends and enemies that makes his character stand out from the usual anti-hero trope.
Around him there's a cast of interesting characters, conflict regarding gender roles, emotional abuse and the inevitable political intrigue to enrich the plot.
All this makes Lord of Empathy an entertaining read with quite the twist at the end.
I didn't expect to enjoy Ready Player One half as much as I did.
The book is not without flaws. The endless lists and info dumps would definitely put me off had I been reading it. Fortunately, Wil Wheaton did an amazing job narrating the story and made even the most boring passages fun to listen to.
I recommend this book to every introvert and geek who never felt at home in the real world.
With an intriguing premise and poetic writing, Elias Pell takes the reader on a journey through the realm of dreams, alternating moments of tension and adventure with moments of endearing friendship and heartbreak. The result is an immersive read filled with dreamlike landscapes, heroism, suspense, magic and a few nightmarish characters.
I particularly liked how the author interwove deities and fairy tales from different mythologies into his story.
Steggie Belle & the Dream Warriors is a novel for both young and old adults who may have forgotten their dreams or simply wish to remember how it was like to dream as a child.
Well written and carefully edited, Bloodlines is an entertaining read with lots of adventure, misfortune, intrigue and mystery. Themes of alcohol abuse and the negative psychological effects of war are prevalent and pertinent throughout.
The good: I particularly enjoyed the banter and camaraderie between the characters whenever they had a chance to reminiscence between adventures.
The not so good: There was a bit too much repetition at times, too many reiterations of the same events, and the (pretty much) only female character often came across as a delicate piece of luggage the male characters dragged around with them.
Overall Bloodlines is an compelling read with an interesting mythology and a good plot twist at the end.
Another interesting read by J Edward Neill. Not one, but four short stories connected to a similar premise. Each story builds on the previous from a different perspective. Well written and engaging throughout, the Hecacomb is a sort of dark fairy tale told in a Lovecraftian style.
Old Man of Tessera 5/5
Let the Bodies 4/5
Skeleton Sculptor 4/5
The Circle Macabre 4/5
The premise, far from new, was brilliantly handled in a refreshing, thought provoking way. My only complaint: it was too short. The story and characters deserved more depth.
There was too much exposition at times and too little detail in others, especially regarding character motivation. A shame for these are interesting characters and there's enough material in this story for a trilogy. I guess that was not the author's intention, and the result is fast-paced, entertaining read that leaves a lot to the imagination.
4.5 stars
As a fan of castles, Ireland and mysteries I thought this should be interesting. The main character, a brooding introvert named Alex, is my favourite kind of narrator who often thinks more than he says, and the story was entertaining enough to keep me turning the page long after it became predictable. The Fall of Castle Carrick is the sort of book I would have loved if not for a few annoying mistakes. Historical inaccuracies aside (this is fiction, after all) it seems the author got Ireland and Northern Ireland confused. I guess it all looks the same from across the pond, but I couldn't help to feel disappointed by that. I think the setting deserved a bit more research and the writing could use some polish as well. It felt rushed and haphazard at times, which is a shame. Overall, it's still well worth the read for the fantasy aspect of it and the thought provoking themes hidden between the lines.
I bought this book because I assumed by the title that it had something to do with the Greek god Zeus. (I noticed the author has updated the blurb since then to clarify that it does not, so I guess I wasn't the only one). By the time I realised my mistake, I was already invested in the story and, with or without Zeus, I still wanted to know the damn secret.
The Secret of the Second Zeus is a compelling page-turner set in one of the most beautiful countries in Europe. It could have been my nostalgia for Switzerland, or just the novelty of reading something without magic, aliens or dragons for a change, but I liked it and nearly two years and over 100 books later, I still remember this story.
Author's Note
The original manuscript of Wyrd Gods was over 300k words long. When I decided to self-publish, I figured it would be better to turn it into a trilogy (or tetralogy as it turned out) which meant I had to break up a storyline that was already fragmented by design. The result is a strange and complex book with the added disadvantages of being a debut novel and the first book in a series.
If there's one thing I ask from my readers, it's patience. Think of Wyrd Gods as a Part I of a much longer story, and trust that there is a method to this tale of madness. Everything will eventually make sense in the end.
Thank you for reading!