Malice by John Gwynne Series: The Faithful and the Fallen #1
Published by Tor (12.1.2012)
Genres: Adult, High Fantasy
Format: Audiobook, 672 pages
Length: 23 hours, 50 minutes
Narrator: Damian Lynch
Source: I own it
A black sun is rising …
Young Corban watches enviously as boys become warriors under King Brenin’s rule, learning the art of war. He yearns to wield his sword and spear to protect his king’s realm. But that day will come all too soon. Only when he loses those he loves will he learn the true price of courage.
The Banished Lands has a violent past where armies of men and giants clashed shields in battle, the earth running dark with their heartsblood. Although the giant-clans were broken in ages past, their ruined fortresses still scar the land. But now giants stir anew, the very stones weep blood and there are sightings of giant wyrms. Those who can still read the signs see a threat far greater than the ancient wars. Sorrow will darken the world, as angels and demons make it their battlefield. Then there will be a war to end all wars.
High King Aquilus summons his fellow kings to council, seeking an alliance in this time of need. Some are skeptical, fighting their own border skirmishes against pirates and giants. But prophesy indicates darkness and light will demand two champions, the Black Sun and the Bright Star. They would be wise to seek out both, for if the Black Sun gains ascendancy, mankind’s hopes and dreams will fall to dust.
My thoughts
This book was SO. TEDIOUS. The narrator was okay – not bad, but not great either. And the book took FOREVER! And I feel like nothing really happened. I just listened to the audiobook a month or two ago and I remember almost nothing.
The characters were hard to keep straight, too. There were several sets of names that sounded almost identical (it’s fantasy so probably spelled differently) and I kept mixing them up. And I just didn’t care about anything that was happening. Should have DNFed.
Overall Assessment
Plot: 2/5
Premise: 3/5
Writing style: 3/5
Originality: 3/5
Characters: 1/5
World-building: 3.5/5
Pace: 1/5
Feels: 0/5
Narration: 3/5
Cover: 4/5
Overall rating: 2/5
Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel Series: Themis Files #1
Published by Del Rey (4.26.2016)
Genres: Young Adult, Science Fiction
Format: Audiobook, 320 pages
Length: 8 hours, 28 minutes
Narrator: Full cast
Source: I own it
A girl named Rose is riding her new bike near home in Deadwood, South Dakota, when she falls through the earth. She wakes up at the bottom of a square-shaped hole, its walls glowing with intricate carvings. But the firemen who come to save her peer down upon something even stranger: a little girl in the palm of a giant metal hand.
Seventeen years later, the mystery of the bizarre artifact remains unsolved - the object's origins, architects, and purpose unknown.
But some can never stop searching for answers.
Rose Franklin is now a highly trained physicist leading a top-secret team to crack the hand's code. And along with her colleagues, she is being interviewed by a nameless interrogator whose power and purview are as enigmatic as the relic they seek. What's clear is that Rose and her compatriots are on the edge of unravelling history's most perplexing discovery-and finally figuring out what it portends for humanity. But once the pieces of the puzzle are in place, will the result be an instrument of lasting peace or a weapon of mass destruction?
My thoughts
The audiobook narration was FANTASTIC! That was by far the saving grace for this book. It’s full cast and they really did a great job on it. I tried to read it first and couldn’t get into it…the audio definitely made it worth it. The story itself was kinda meh – it started off intriguing because you don’t really know what’s happening, and the giants were cool, but I found myself growing bored with the story by the end of it. I didn’t care about any of the characters, either. I probably won’t bother reading the second book.
Overall Assessment
Plot: 3/5
Premise: 4/5
Writing style: 3/5
Originality: 4/5
Characters: 1/5
World-building: 3/5
Pace: 3/5
Feels: 1/5
Narration: 5/5
Cover: 3/5
Overall rating: 3/5
Scythe by Neal Shusterman Series: Arc of a Scythe
Published by Simon & Schuster (11.22.2016)
Genres: Young Adult, Science Fiction
Format: Audiobook, 435 pages
Length: 10 hours, 32 minutes
Thou shalt kill.
A world with no hunger, no disease, no war, no misery. Humanity has conquered all those things, and has even conquered death. Now scythes are the only ones who can end life—and they are commanded to do so, in order to keep the size of the population under control.
Citra and Rowan are chosen to apprentice to a scythe—a role that neither wants. These teens must master the “art” of taking life, knowing that the consequence of failure could mean losing their own.
My thoughts
This one took me two tries – I DNFed it a couple years back because Neal’s writing style grates on my nerves. The concept is really interesting and was the driving point for this book – I did like the idea of the scythedom! But the characters were immature and annoying and some of it felt a little outlandish. It’s pretty juvenile, honestly. I don’t know what it is about his prose but it just bothers me! The audiobook made it bearable and I was able to finish, but it still wasn’t all that great for me. I don’t know if I’ll read the second book or not.
Overall Assessment
Plot: 3/5
Premise: 4/5
Writing style: 2/5
Originality: 4/5
Characters: 2/5
World-building: 3.5/5
Pace: 3/5
Feels: 1/5
Cover: 4/5
Overall rating: 2.5/5
Leave a Reply