Review

Reply: MISTBORN TRILOGY – BOOK 1: THE FINAL EMPIRE – BY BRANDON SANDERSON

Lisa, , , , 8 Comments

Heeeey Robert and Jared…

It’s finally happened. I read the first book of the Mistborn trilogy! If you’re newly joining us and haven’t enjoyed this delectable delight, head on over here to get caught up, because there will be spoilers!

finalempire1
Portuguese Kindle Cover

Title: The Final Empire
Series: Mistborn Trilogy; Book 1
Author: Brandon Sanderson
Genre: Fantasy
Audience: Adult
ROTS Setting: UU, Unique Magic
Synopsis: The Final Empire controls the known world and rules with a tyrannical iron fist. A group of professional thieves turn revolutionaries have the best chance in the last thousand years to fracture the Empires hold. Their job is near-impossible. How do you bring down a government that has stood for a thousand years? More importantly, how do you kill a god?
Recommendation: Mature content with a similar reading level. Late teens would be our suggestion.

– – Spoilers – –

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Reply: MISTBORN TRILOGY – BOOK 1: THE FINAL EMPIRE – BY BRANDON SANDERSON

Brian’s Saga – Book 5: Brian’s Hunt – By Gary Paulsen

Robert @ ReadingOverTheShoulder, , , Leave a comment

How’s it going Jared?

Finding decent covers for these books has been disturbingly hard. It’s like they don’t want people to see them or use them in their reviews. A good cover image can really sell a book, so it seems counter-intuitive to make them hard to find.

brianshuntTitle: Brian’s Hunt
Series: Brian’s Saga; Book 5
Author: Gary Paulsen
Genre: Fiction, Survival
Audience: Teen
ROTS Setting: CU, Canada
Synopsis: We find Brian still in the Canadian wilderness, picking up right where we left him.
Recommendation: Perfect for Teens. This book is recommended, but note that this book assumes that the events of all 4 previous books took place.

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Brian’s Saga – Book 5: Brian’s Hunt – By Gary Paulsen

Fablehaven Adventure Series – Book 1: Dragonwatch – By Brandon Mull

Robert @ ReadingOverTheShoulder, , Leave a comment

Jared,

Here it is! The book I’ve been hyping for the last month.

dragonwatchfbTitle: Dragonwatch
Series: Fablehaven Adventure Series; Book 1
Author: Brandon Mull
Genre: Fantasy
Audience: Youth/Teen
ROTS Setting: EU, Modern, Magic, Fairies, Demons
Synopsis: In the hidden dragon sanctuary of Wyrmroost, Celebrant the Just, King of the Dragons, plots his revenge. He has long seen the sanctuaries as prisons, and he wants nothing more than to overthrow his captors and return the world to the Age of Dragons, when he and his kind ruled and reigned without borders. The time has come to break free and reclaim his power.

No one person is capable of stopping Celebrant and his dragon horde. It will take the ancient order of Dragonwatch to gather again if there is any chance of saving the world from destruction. In ancient times, Dragonwatch was a group of wizards, enchantresses, dragon slayers, and others who originally confined the majority of dragons into sanctuaries. But nearly all of the original Dragonwatch members are gone, and so the wizard Agad reaches out to Grandpa Sorenson for help. […]
Recommendation: Highly recommend this series, and strongly encourage reading the Fablehaven series first. Early teens and up can easily handle this book. I advise moderate caution with younger readers as there are some darker themes.

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Fablehaven Adventure Series – Book 1: Dragonwatch – By Brandon Mull

RED RISING TRILOGY – BOOK 3: MORNING STAR – BY PIERCE BROWN

Jared, , , 4 Comments

Hello Robert,

Meet the conclusion to this bastardly series.

Title: Morning Star51nnve8he2l
Series: Red Rising Trilogy; Book 3
Author: Pierce Brown
Genre: Fantasy, Sci-fi
Audience: Adult
ROTS Setting: Alternate Future,
Synopsis: Darrow survives the coup, but is taken by the Jackel. What you imagine the Jackel does he does and Darrow suffers. Darrow is broken down to nothing and then must rebuild himself into a new man, or the man he once was.
Recommendation: I do not “Recommendation:” this book. It built up my hopes and then dashed them all away. To build them up again and then have them crashed on the rocks of reality. Of course, this book is only really for adults. It is nice though to have the series finished,  now at least I can sleep at night.

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RED RISING TRILOGY – BOOK 3: MORNING STAR – BY PIERCE BROWN

Fablehaven – Book 5: Keys to the Demon Prison – By Brandon Mull

Robert @ ReadingOverTheShoulder, , , Leave a comment

Jared,

This is it. The end of the series. I’ve been eat, sleep, and…..other stuff, this series for weeks. I am more hyped than ever for Dragonwatch. I’ve pre-ordered it and if all goes well you should expect a review this Friday, Mar.17.2017.

keystothedemonprison.jpgTitle: Keys to the Demon Prison
Series: Fablehaven; Book 5
Author: Brandon Mull
Genre: Fantasy
Audience: Youth/Teen
ROTS Setting: EU, Modern, Magic, Fairies, Demons
Synopsis: The final battle between Light and Darkness looms. Desperate, reckless moves are all that’s left to try and prevent the demon prison from opening. Can Kendra and Seth prevent the all but inevitable? Either way, they will risk all in the attempt.
Recommendation: Highly recommend this series. Early teens and up can easily handle this book. I advise moderate caution with younger readers as there are some darker themes.

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Fablehaven – Book 5: Keys to the Demon Prison – By Brandon Mull

The Expanse – Book 6: Babylon’s Ashes – By James S. A. Corey

Robert @ ReadingOverTheShoulder, , , 7 Comments

Jared,

It’s taken 3 months to finally get this bad boy……Which is way too long for me personally. It taunts me and then I have to rush and get the book finished before the library loan expires.

babylonsashesTitle: Babylon’s Ashes
Series: The Expanse; Book 6
Author: James S. A. Corey (Pen Name)
Genre: Science Fiction, Space Opera
Audience: Adult
ROTS Setting: CU, Futuristic, FTL Gates
Synopsis: A revolution brewing for generations has begun in fire. It will end in blood. The Free Navy – a violent group of Belters in black-market military ships – has crippled the Earth and begun a campaign of piracy and violence among the outer planets. The colony ships heading for the thousand new worlds on the far side of the alien ring gates are easy prey, and no single navy remains strong enough to protect them. James Holden and his crew know the strengths and weaknesses of this new force better than anyone. Outnumbered and outgunned, the embattled remnants of the old political powers call on the Rocinante for a desperate mission to reach Medina Station at the heart of the gate network. But the new alliances are as flawed as the old, and the struggle for power has only just begun.
Recommendation: I strongly recommend this book to mature audiences only. (Late teens or adult.) This is due to the quantity and detail of the violence.

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The Expanse – Book 6: Babylon’s Ashes – By James S. A. Corey

Fablehaven – Book 4: Secret of the Dragon Sanctuary – By Brandon Mull

Robert @ ReadingOverTheShoulder, , , 2 Comments

Jared,

I’ve begun fervently reading the last book in the series because I’ve got 3 days before the eBook is due. I just need to stay focused……Oh, look. Books.

secretofthedragonsanctuaryTitle: Secret of the Dragon Sanctuary
Series: Fablehaven; Book 4
Author: Brandon Mull
Genre: Fantasy
Audience: Youth/Teen
ROTS Setting: EU, Modern, Magic, Fairies, Demons, Dragons
Synopsis: Kendra and Seth returned home at last. The threat against them is still real and their friends are watching them closely. But the unthinkable happens. Kendra dies. (Mwhahahahahah!)
Recommendation: Highly recommend this series. Early teens and up can easily handle this book. I advise moderate caution with younger readers as there are some darker themes.

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Fablehaven – Book 4: Secret of the Dragon Sanctuary – By Brandon Mull

The Mars Trilogy – Book 1: Red Mars – By Kim Stanley Robinson

Robert @ ReadingOverTheShoulder, , 3 Comments

Jared,

I’m finally done this book! It took me two weeks but I’m done. Not the actual reading time but it wasn’t an easy book to get into.

redmarsTitle: Red Mars
Series: The Mars Trilogy; Book 1
Author: Kim Stanley Robinson
Genre: Science Fiction
Audience: Adult
ROTS Setting: Near-Future, Mars, Terraforming, Colonization,
Synopsis: For eons, sandstorms have swept the desolate landscape. For centuries, Mars has beckoned humans to conquer its hostile climate. Now, in 2026, a group of 100 colonists is about to fulfill that destiny. John Boone, Maya Toitavna, Frank Chalmers & Arkady Bogdanov lead a terraforming mission. For some, Mars will become a passion driving them to daring acts of courage & madness. For others it offers an opportunity to strip the planet of its riches. For the genetic alchemists, it presents a chance to create a biomedical miracle, a breakthrough that could change all we know about life & death. The colonists orbit giant satellite mirrors to reflect light to the surface. Black dust sprinkled on the polar caps will capture warmth. Massive tunnels, kilometers deep, will be drilled into the mantle to create stupendous vents of hot gases. Against this backdrop of epic upheaval, rivalries, loves & friendships will form & fall to pieces–for there are those who will fight to the death to prevent Mars from ever being changed.
Recommendation: For those adults who appreciate Mars-porn.

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The Mars Trilogy – Book 1: Red Mars – By Kim Stanley Robinson

Royal Assassin – The Farseer Trilogy – By Robin Hobb

Jared, , 2 Comments

Hey Robert,

So I just found that Goodreads is not only a place to look up books but there is a whole community aspect. So I now have an account and add me if you want to. I hope to find new and exciting things.

About this series though I am not quite sure why I am still reading it.

Title: Royal Assassin19888960-_sy540_
Series: Farseer Trilogy; Book 2
Author: Robin Hobb
Genre: Fantasy
Audience: Adult
ROTS Setting: UU,
Synopsis: Fitz Chivalry Farseer returns from the mountain kingdom to Buck Keep and nothing is quite the same as it was before.
Recommendation: For some reason, I do not understand why I like this book. Yes, I would definitely recommend this book. Teens and older could understand and not be put off by the content.  Continue reading “Royal Assassin – The Farseer Trilogy – By Robin Hobb” →

Royal Assassin – The Farseer Trilogy – By Robin Hobb

Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell – By Brandon Sanderson

Robert @ ReadingOverTheShoulder, , , Leave a comment

Hey Jared,

I’m slowly getting though all of Sanderson’s smaller works and I’m starting to really enjoy novella length. Short enough to read in a couple of hours, but long enough to have many of the aspects of longer novels. But I’m still struggling with short stories.

shadowsforsilenceTitle: Shadows for Silence in the Forest of Hell
Series: Cosmere
Author: Brandon Sanderson
Genre: Fantasy
Audience: Adult
ROTS Setting: UU, Medieval, Magic
Synopsis: When the familiar and seemingly safe turns lethal, therein danger lies. Amid a forest where the shades of the dead linger all around, every homesteader knows to follow the Simple Rules: “Don’t kindle flame, don’t shed the blood of another, don’t run at night. These things draw shades.” Silence Montane has broken all three rules on more than one occasion. And to protect her family from a murderous gang with high bounties on their heads, Silence will break every rule again, at the risk of becoming a shade herself.
Recommendation: Adult or late teen.

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Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell – By Brandon Sanderson