Category Archives: Books

Reader’s thoughts: endings

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A question I pondered a few times is: what is a good ending? Eventually, I realized that there are several factors, and that is even for the outcome. “…and they lived happily ever after” might sound like a good ending, but it will help none if it’s reached in a way that makes it feel out of place.

Satisfaction

One of the factors is surely satisfaction. I believe that many people stick with a story to see the bad guy defeated and the problems that arose solved. How the story is told is great part and I would say that the more you can hate the antagonist, the more satisfaction you get from finally seeing him meet the deserved end.

Realism

Satisfaction is good, but the bad guy’s defeat is just a part of it. How the story ends is about more than just that. What went on through the story should be reflected by the ending – it would be weird if a land decimated by wars would suddenly turn into “everything is all nice” with his death, forgetting the destruction. Rebuilding takes time and the outcome should probably reflect that if the damage done was massive.

Cost

This goes with what I mentioned above. It’s pretty much inevitable that characters will die on their way to defeating the antagonist, but even those need to have some sense. I believe that death of each characters should have some point to drive the story forward – to make or break someone. The cost of victory should be related to the power of enemy being fought. Too easy victory will make it look like the problem was inflated, but too high cost could be problem as well.

This also opens opportunities for selfless acts of heroes, going as far as the ultimate sacrifice. In a post I made in 11/2017, I mentioned Kyle Reese from Terminator movie as my favorite example. I might even get back to this topic at some point and make a post more about what I think in this regard.

Balance of power

During a struggle, let alone war, factions with different aims will appear and influence those around. When a faction meets its end, they leave an empty spot that someone will, sooner or later, try to fill. Struggles to take hold of this power vacuum can be base for sequels, but leaving obvious loose ends unresolved will only result in disappointment, more so if the end hints that there will be no sequel but leaves unanswered questions.

So, in conclusion, what matters for the ending (and affects my review and rating) is how much sense the ending makes. If the ending is sad but makes complete sense and the story was done really well, the rating will be high.

If the story leaves several loose ends, more so if they are left to be unresolved, even the happiest ending in the world will not save me from taking % off, no matter how much I might wish for the main characters to live happily forever.

Book review: The blood debt

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I followed reading the final book in the trilogy the day after reading the second book. Compared to the second one, the PoV shifts are not that numerous or sudden, but that is great part due to the story converging in two places: around Wulfric and around Rodulf.

Rodulf keeps his scheming and takes it to the next level, resulting to multitude of atrocious acts. Adalhaid is finishing her studies with plan to leave the city as soon as she finishes what Aethelman could not, knowing that she’d not be safe remaining around if she succeeded (and would probably not live long if she failed). She has some obstacles in the way, partially due to the headmistress having some aversion to Northlanders.

In the meantime, Wulfric returns from his journey overseas only to end up tangled in a messy webs of politics and traitors. And as it tends to be, he just can’t kill those, no matter how reasonable his suspicions are, without a proof his enemies are not willing to give.

He is lured away from the city on a quest to find a blade worthy of a hero, realizing it’s a trap but having no choice. He gets some insight and understanding on the way and just as he returns, the story seems to be getting to the finale… which it would be, if not for the narrative, as I mentioned in my review of the second book. It is here when it shows as trouble. When you know that some characters will survive, it kills the surprise.

I also though some characters maybe deserved a bit better end (no spoiler to who) and that the ending, shifted several years later, is quite anticlimactic. One would expect that after dealing with an uprising led by traitor, a monarch aiming for peace would do all in his power to have all the schemers, and especially the head, searched and dealt with at any cost, yet it is not the case here.

The good part was in the head Intelligencier (that’s how the inquisitor-like sect is called) who shows compassion for the sake of his family, realizing that despite what many would think not all magic is bad.

Read date: 11.-12.4.2018
Published: 2.10.2017
Goodreads / Amazon rating: 4,25 / 4,2
My rating: 80%
Length: 376 pages (kindle edition).

My final verdict for the book, and the whole series, is that it was great read that sucked me in, but could be much better if not for the spoiler-ish narration.

Also, I guess this will lead to me writing blog posts about some topics I wanted to cover: my thoughts about PoV/narration and my thoughts about what is (or not) good or satisfactory ending.

Book review: Jorundyr’s path

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As I mentioned at the end of my review of “Wolf of the North“, I was tempted to get into the sequel right away, but for reasons delayed that. The story was captivating, so I blazed through the second book in two days, but it had its issues.

Given how the first book ended, with Wulfric at the run (both away from Leondorf and towards his revenge), Aethelman with is own goal, Rodulf scheming more and Adalhaid with her own choices to make, there were many sub-stories to follow.

That itself would not be an issue, but how the PoV shifts were handled was troublesome, often changing several times in a single chapter, something that might confuse some readers. Worst, these plot parts were happening at different places, detached enough that just following one character for a while would be enough – there was no hint that they happened at the same time to require these abrupt shifts (except when they converged, of course). Personally I’d guess they were supposed to build suspense but I did not feel it that way.

The book also showed why I don’t like books told in this kind of retrospective with shifts to the narrator retelling the story much later, for one reason: it is easy way to spoilers, which was the case in this book. As enjoyable as it was, since maybe half of the second book, it turned from “how it will end?” to “how it’ll get there”, which is quite a pity.

Read date: 9.-10.4.2018
Published: 30.5.2017
Goodreads / Amazon rating: 4,15 / 4,3
My rating: 80% (with mixed feelings, 70% of it is immersion)
Length: 368 pages (kindle edition).

Book review: The Wolf of the North

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So, I finally got to another book that was on my TBR quite soon after I bought my e-reader… two years ago. Needless to say, I am glad I got to it. Another quick and very good read.

The Wolf of the North starts like underdog story with Wulfric being weak and bullied by older boys in the village and having pretty much only one friend in Adalhaid, girl from the same village. He’s quite the opposite of his father, the village’s best warriors who’s quite disappointed by it.

Eventually, Wulfric starts changing and eventually beats Rodulf, the ‘boss’ of his bully gang, to the point that Rodulf loses an eye and his hopes for becoming a great warrior are crushed forever. Probably very well deserved beating that changes both Wulfric and Rodulf.

Wulfric then starts his training while Rodulf and his father take different path, choosing to pursue wealth and political power instead of physical power and skill with blade.

The machinations of those two eventually start a downhill spiral (won’t spoil the details) and the growing greed of those two causes large amount of grief among the other villagers, Wulfric being one of those hit hardest, of which most was quite cold plan.

At this point I’ll stop when it comes to the story. I must say that I felt Wulfric quite relatable, especially when it came to struggling with his feelings and the hard decisions. The story of Rodulf and his father, with their machinations and growing fall to corruption was likewise well done, to the point of being able to cause countless deaths just to reach their goal.

Small downside was that in the early part of the book, there were one or two points where the shifts to the narrator felt a bit weird. Regardless, second book, here I come!

Read date: 4.-7.4.2018
Published: 8.10.2016
Goodreads / Amazon rating: 4,11 / 4,3
My rating: 95%
Length: 326 pages (kindle edition)

Favorite highlights, part two

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A few days ago, I shared some of my favorite highlights from the last two years and with this post, I’ll continue with bits that took my attention in the two years of e-reading. This time with more serious lines. I will skip the “With great power comes great responsibility” type of quotes as I am quite sure everyone read or heard these several times over.

I’ll start with J.D. Hallowell’s books, as I did last time. There is a part that is sorely missing from our world, especially among those with power. Something I see well in my country where many politicians can’t even see far enough to the next elections.

“We need to begin to start fostering the idea among the people that everyone is responsible to future generations for how they leave this world in their own time… We have to convince people to think ahead for generations, not just a few years. They have to realize that what they do now will affect their great-grandchildren.”

And when I’m at that, there was one more far too real thing about it…

“…the concept of fair play doesn’t usually work its way too far into either the military or politics, and this situation was all about both.”

Next two quotes will come for a piece of well-known classic work, Oscar Wilde’s Picture of Dorian Gray.

Our weakest motives were those of whose nature we were conscious. It often happened that when we thought we were experimenting on others we were really experimenting on ourselves.

When we blame ourselves, we feel that no one else has a right to blame us. It is the confession, not the priest, that gives us absolution.

As for the second, I could not agree more. I’m not religious, but I know well enough about it from the times I was visiting psychologist frequently.

And something from D.K. Holmberg about the price of power…

“You say that as if there is something terrible about searching for power, but power by itself is not dangerous. It’s what one does with it that makes it deadly.”

“There’s a price to power, Endric. It’s the same with all things. The question you must ask is whether you’re willing to pay it.”

Paradox of the two quotes? Said by someone seen as power-hungry. Well, I guess he knew about it firsthand.

There are always two ways to say something. Quote from Daniel Ford’s Paladin trilogy, which I’ll most likely re-read by the end of summer before the third book comes out and will post my comments about it.

“It is a rule of leading people, Gideon. You may be confused, or afraid, or overwhelmed, or all three—those who depend on you must never see it. Or, as the Old Baron once put it to me, you absolutely cannot be pissing your pants when your men are expecting orders.”

And something from David Dalglish, to show that harsh changes are… well, harsh.

“Imagine knowing something, knowing it so well that it is burned deep into your gut. You’d question your own name before you questioned this. And then…one day…the whole world changes, and you know nothing.”

And for the last one this time, the revolving doors of nature’s balance will most likely hit humanity in the face, as H.G. Wells knew…

“Humanity had been strong, energetic, and intelligent, and had used all its abundant vitality to alter the conditions under which it lived. And now came the reaction of the altered conditions.”

That’s it for the second part. I might make a third with some favorite lines that don’t fit the previous two groups, I might not…

Two years with ebooks: favorite highlights

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Tomorrow, it’ll be two years since I bought my e-reader. In retrospect, decision I am glad for as it brought be back to reading books while as well saving my precious space. As long as it’s not freezing (currently waiting for winter and spring to agree who rules now) I can carry it around pretty much anywhere – a whole small library if I wanted.

Important advantage, even though I am not too regular in using it, is highlighting passages I find interesting, whether they are funny, inspirational or otherwise remarkable.

So, to “celebrate” my two years of e-reading, I’ll share some of my favorite highlights. Since there’s many of them for the two years, this time I’ll focus on the funny ones and leave the serious and inspirational for some other day.

Continue reading →

Book review: Tower Lord

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Sequel to Blood Song, Tower Lord follows the story of Vaelin Al Sorna and his fellow brothers of the Sixth Order. The first book ended with failed oversea invasion which caused the small group that was together until then to be separated, which also changed how the story is told, switching between multiple points of view: Vaelin, Princess Lyrna, Reva and Frentis ‘the climber’.

Before I get to the story itself, I think I should say that the change made the second book a bit more enjoyable to me for some reason.

Vaelin, after the end of first book, decides he had enough of war, especially as the one he fought in was forged from lies and greed. He spent five years in enemy’s prison, lost some of his friend and for the others, had no idea where they were, if they were even alive – which he does not know.

When he finally returns home, he’s sent to be Tower Lord of the Northern reaches, hoping that to be a calm time spent away from the wars, greed and lies. Continue reading →

Book review: Blood song

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For my latest read, I chose something more known, Anthony Ryan’s Blood Song. The book follows Vaelin Al Sorna since being left at the gates of Sixth Order as ten-years-old boy through his training and eventually through series of conflicts.

I’ll try to be unspecific to avoid spoilers and for that reason, say very little about anything that goes in second part of the book.

Continue reading →

Book review: Dragon Justice

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Third book of the series I am reading now, happening some time (roughly 2 years I believe) after the end of second book. While one might think that getting rid of Warrick and his schemes would bring peace, in lack of large troubles small troubles will go to the front.

This book happens in Horne, the kingdom where Warrick resided and schemed from (and that now has the Rider’s HQ in one of its remote parts). Simon and his mother, crippled by debts, are forced to serve corrupt and greedy lord Bastian and Simon himself is bullied and abused by the lord’s son, Broederick.

Simon’s situation gets slightly better when the town’s blacksmith takes Simon under his care, teaching him not only useful craft, but also the basics of self-defense, which eventually forces Broederick to look for another victim. Unable to let anyone else go through that again, he eventually intercepts him in another rape attempt and after castrating him on the spot, runs away knowing that the corrupt lords would give him little hope for fair trial.

While he manages to escape, he ends up with pretty much nothing in place usually inhabited by roracks and eventually gets to bond with a dragon hatchling in situation where he’d have trouble taking care for himself.

After weeks and months in wilderness, he eventually goes close to a town and on the way, saves a trader from the ambush of thieves, his situation getting slightly better from the reward, but as soon as he is among the people, he faces the harsh contact with reality: Bastian has put up a bounty for his return, high enough that many would be willing to die trying.

As Simon faces coming fools and enemies, the Riders eventually learn of the situation and send some of their own to help and train Simon while also sending others to protect Simon’s mother and the blacksmith from Bastian’s revenge.

Trouble only arise as Horne gets to the edge of revolt with the nobles wanting more power while the King refuses to let any go from his hands and with the roracks rampaging on the borders, it threatens to endanger more than just the greedy pride of nobility. Eventually, the Riders get everyone involved to their headquarters to force a cooperation and find a solution for the trouble, while also bringing justice to Simon’s case – no spoilers for the outcome.

Read date: 8.-13.2.2018
Goodreads / Amazon rating: 4,2 / 4,0
My rating: 85%
Length: 314 pages (kindle edition)

Truth is, I expected the end to get a bit more messy, and the problems of potential civil war spreading to more than just one kingdom. The part where Simon is on the run with his hatchling is similar to book one in some parts, while getting much tougher on him – while Delno was almost 30 with experience with war and some savings for the start of his journey, Simon leaves with just his life and what little he managed to learn in the meantime. Also, it was nice to see some old faces by the end, and Rita is still so over-protective of anyone underage, not just the three kids she adopted by the end of second book.