Jonas

Quite a different adventure for Spensa. I was expecting a small sidestep and then a bigger bulk back to the main plot but that was not happening.
The steps felt a bit like random powerups spread through the land but the pieces of lore made it worth it.
It's been a long time since I laughed out loud with a book but the lion story got me

I heard before the first ones were a bit of a struggle to get through. Have to agree on that.
It wasn't necessarily bad but there isn't a lot of progress for the long path that is taken.
The world is opened up on a few new frontiers which is the most interesting in this book.
Character development is almost fully on hold, except for one tiny advancement in the end, which is kinda the same as the first one.
I was hoping to blaze through to the third one but I need to break for now.. hopefully in a few months.

Great short story, almost felt like a full book with all the turns it takes.
A lot more action-packed than the first short. It felt way closer to Skyward which was nice to see again after the slower pace of Starsight.
All ready for Cytonic!

Has some nice quotations but also a lot of filler. I'd get bored if I had to read one per day. Reading them in bulk feels like you're always running short on the meaning behind it.

Fun short story. Ideal for extra character development and actually gives a lot of answers for its length. Would have liked this to have come earlier, so they were more spaced in the 2 years between 2 and 3 but still very nice as a buildup for the third one.
Starting ReDawn immediately.

A lot shorter than the others but damn what a ride. Feels a bit like the writer really got the idea for the direction of the series straight here and started taking big steps toward it..
Audiobooks also keep getting better and better. The small distinct changes in his voice for each character really make the story pop.

Good read. No real extreme events but still some new evolutions.
Some parts were a bit too convenient but of course it wouldn't be interesting if it wasn't sometimes. The travel parts felt way more realistic than the previous ones, it really felt like a lot of time passed between each venture.
Curious what path the next book will take.

Surprisingly good read.
Didn't know what to expect going in. I knew the author but haven't read any of his fiction work. He tells about some of his experiences and lessons he's learned through them. The random factor to the subjects make it fun. I had to agree on a lot of points the author made.
I would read (/listen) more of these kinds of books.

I didn't finish this book, read 20% and just couldn't care less.

I found it very painful how unrealistic this all came across. I cringed a lot and felt stressed trying to read this book. If they gave it some breathing room I think I could place it, but this? The guy goes to bed and wakes up with a shitload of emails and voicemails; Oh, so it's a fantasy book where people aren't sleeping, right?

Working in IT myself I can relate to some subjects but most of this seems like a very extreme and improbable situation.

I expect the ‘great parts' are still to come but yeah, I'll let them fly right by.

Upon starting the book and reading like the first 40% you het like an overall feeling to where the story will be going. Well, expectations broken. Really took me by surprise. Even though it's a long series already, I'm all ready for it. Been a long time a series starter got me this excited.
Audiobook is also a great recommendation.

Surprising read! It really feels like a classic and while some terms or styles were a bit dated, the simplicity of it all felt really charming. I tried reading this without the map first but then started again with constantly checking the map and it made the experience really feel like an adventure.
Also eye opening to see where some modern fantasy books got their inspiration from (Yes you, Name of the Wind

I think I went in with the wrong expectations. It was a fun read but I was expecting something more on an epic scale. This felt like some short stories but not with a lot of coherence. I didn't feel satisfied after completing the separate or the whole.
For now, I will not be continuing the series.

This should be used in schools today.. get the mindset right before it's rooted

Not a lot to say here.. how could you not like how we came to exist?

2nd read- 2024
This storming book. You'd think there would be boring moments in a book counting 1200 pages.. nope. The first time around I found it too long, yet now it felt right. A build up for what's to come. I liked it then, but I love it now, only second to Words of Radiance. Glad I did this reread before starting Wind & Truth. Not that I feel ready for that approaching stormwall, but who's ever ready..

Original review - 2020
Damn what a ride. Overall I found the book to be a bit too long. The middle part felt stretched out with some main characters almost completely neglected.
But still, solid 5/5. That last part again, my god. So much new information, fully changing the game once again. Some beautiful and horrific moments.
The stage is set. Already looking forward to the reread in 2 years.

FYI: I did not finish this book. I had to stop around 25%. If you want to teach others about punctuation, this isn't the way to go. The only thing I read so far was one big rant about bad punctuation and how the ‘sticklers' should unite against it. I learned more from the first page of [b:The Elements of Style 33514 The Elements of Style William Strunk Jr. https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1168447985l/33514.SY75.jpg 35832].As a non-native speaker, I picked this up to learn something. Well, I'd rather make the occasional mistake than become this kind of pain in the ass person.

Second read - 2025 - Audiobook (GraphicAudio) - 3 stars
I revisited this since I saw there is a television series and mostly since I spotted this on GraphicAudio. For me this format worked way better, upped from 2 to 3 stars. It's still not the best story, but it felt way more alive than during my first read and the side-characters just get more of a face since they get individual voices. An ideal storylength for a longer walk.
I will continue the series now, going forward with the GraphicAudio versions.

First review - 2021 - Ebook - 2 stars
Had to struggle myself through this one, even with its short length. The concept sounded fun, a sarcastic robot that kills stuff. But I just couldn't be bothered. Even in short sessions my mind completely drifted off, which I haven't had in years. I finished it because it was short and I was expecting something awesome at the end. Well, that was a nope.

The things I liked most were the fact that it watched serials in its free time and the way time could be skipped with the malfunctions.
The characters all became a jumble except for the doctor, who still remained bland for me. The story, well, something happened..

I will not continue this series.

Really diverse information which is kind of obvious but still very easy to miss. He includes lots of examples too, great for reference.

Some fun numbers and facts compiled from google search data. The subjects are a bit all over the place.

It took me way too long to get through this one but what a ride! This almost felt like a few books with all the events that happened.
My only real pain point is the buildup for one character that ended up being a let-down. Still not sure why it was done but I hope we see more of it.

A bit too aggressive at times but they make some valid points. Great overall tips from multiple viewpoints.

Handy references to movies with some great examples of different baddies. Lots of ideas here

2nd read: Listened to the audiobook and this was a way better fit for me. Still not greatest story but I will continue this with audio.

All in all a good read but some things seemed to be very convenient and I think the delivery fell a bit flat for the build up it had gotten. Mostly for the setting I was expecting something more grandiose.
I did like the characters, Rysn and of course The Lopen. They each had their arc fulfilled which were good. I guess ‘a character' will be put on hiatus for a few books now and then pop up suddenly.
I expect a very small impact for Rhythm of War or even the first Stormlight Archive Arc.
Still looking forward for Rhythm of course!

Not the best book but quite a good distillation of the ideas and a very quick read, which makes it in my eyes a good book.
I am applying some and have already reaped rewards but I wouldn't award that to this book alone. It's not a fix all but it's a worthy addition on the combined reading on the subject.
The summaries are very well done and should be used more in these types of books.