Steve

I'm not sure how to describe this. Maybe: cozy found-family story, with body horror, that explores what it means to identify and be identified? The pronouns are a trip; I'm not sure I ever really got the bottom of what the difference is between them all. I guess it does a good job of driving home the message that, in a diverse universe, insisting on a binary choice is a little nonsensical.

A good solid, stand-alone fantasy. Maybe a little predictable, but a well-written story nonetheless.

Around the halfway point, the story seizes hold of you and pulls you swiftly toward the conclusion. A fantastic ending to an excellent trilogy.

Compared to the first in the trilogy, this was more solid than compelling. It felt like some events in this were simply there to propel the plot, rather than being natural extensions of the plot. Also, I am not entirely convinced by the way to action scenes are written; they feel underwritten and confused (one scene of conflict felt more like slapstick than action, and I am not sure that was intended).

In any event, this kept me involved enough to want to read the conclusion of the trilogy (if only to discover if the slightly weird reveal that Eborans were created by aliens pays off in some way).

Well, that was cheery. This is very much tell don’t show, so your enjoyment will depend on your tolerance for “And in X did Y slay Z” declamations. Personally, my tolerance has obviously dropped way off since the days when I had the patience to slog through The Silmarillion. At least it was relatively short. One for the completionists.

This is another tale which sticks closely to true accounts of actual events, which does mean there is more intrigue than action, as our heroes act more as observers than as key players. Having said that, the American backdrop is refreshingly different, and the crucial action scenes are all as well-rendered as ever.

This was one of the best of the series so far. The description of the sea battle during a storm was incredibly vivid, and the subsequent events were just as gripping.

The narrative strikes a satisfying balance, offering enough depth to engage without becoming overwhelming. A self-aware tone humorously highlights the absurdities of Greek myth, making the gods' juvenile and petulant behaviors more palatable, and the tangled web of incestuous relationships easier to follow. Naturally, with Stephen Fry narrating, the audiobook beautifully captures the author's avuncular charm, adding warmth and wit to the experience.