Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Saturday, October 09, 2010
The Way of Kings
Finally finished the Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson. It's 1000 pages. Let me state that this monstrous tome has received near universal praise was sources/critics/blogs that I highly regard. But it's 1000 pages, and really, it's 500 pages too long.
The Way of Kings got off to such a slow start that I honestly wondered if I read the same book as the reviewers. Then I had to remind myself how much I enjoyed Sanderson's other books. Elantris got off to a slow start, too, and he turned it around. Same with Warbreaker. I believed in the author, dammit!
That was at page 125. Getting to page 400 was like pulling teeth. The opening chapter was action pack and exicting. Then a mysterious chapter with characters we never see again. Then a chapter with the standard Sanderson plucky young heroine. She vanished for 300 pages. 300! Then the novel mixes chapters of the past and present for the central character, the ex-soldier/slave. The another new central character, the aging warlord figure. And in between the chapter are "interludes" with random characters never to be seen again. I imagine these are to give a "flavor" for the world.
All the while all this (wild hand gesturing) is happening, I'm hard press to actually describe what happened in the plot. Three central characters, too much exposition and finally, finally, things start to get interesting around page 600.
The Way of Kings ends strong. Sanderson does not disappoint but, man, it was struggle to get there.
I got to say, if I didn't have faith in the author, I would have put the book aside and not thought twice of abandoning it. This is, simply, not a good introduction to Sanderson's work. A lot of the other reviews focus on the elaborate world building Sanderson does in the narrative: the detail, the thoughtfulness. I agree. He's put a lot of thought and time and effort into creating an entirely unique world. However, the world building obstructs the actual story. World building supports the story. Let's not have world building for the sake of world building.
Overall, a fine book with a slow start and a strong finish. Sanderson needs a good editor, however; someone not afraid to tell time to get on with it and stop unnecessary exposition.
The Way of Kings got off to such a slow start that I honestly wondered if I read the same book as the reviewers. Then I had to remind myself how much I enjoyed Sanderson's other books. Elantris got off to a slow start, too, and he turned it around. Same with Warbreaker. I believed in the author, dammit!
That was at page 125. Getting to page 400 was like pulling teeth. The opening chapter was action pack and exicting. Then a mysterious chapter with characters we never see again. Then a chapter with the standard Sanderson plucky young heroine. She vanished for 300 pages. 300! Then the novel mixes chapters of the past and present for the central character, the ex-soldier/slave. The another new central character, the aging warlord figure. And in between the chapter are "interludes" with random characters never to be seen again. I imagine these are to give a "flavor" for the world.
All the while all this (wild hand gesturing) is happening, I'm hard press to actually describe what happened in the plot. Three central characters, too much exposition and finally, finally, things start to get interesting around page 600.
The Way of Kings ends strong. Sanderson does not disappoint but, man, it was struggle to get there.
I got to say, if I didn't have faith in the author, I would have put the book aside and not thought twice of abandoning it. This is, simply, not a good introduction to Sanderson's work. A lot of the other reviews focus on the elaborate world building Sanderson does in the narrative: the detail, the thoughtfulness. I agree. He's put a lot of thought and time and effort into creating an entirely unique world. However, the world building obstructs the actual story. World building supports the story. Let's not have world building for the sake of world building.
Overall, a fine book with a slow start and a strong finish. Sanderson needs a good editor, however; someone not afraid to tell time to get on with it and stop unnecessary exposition.
Thursday, July 01, 2010
Welcome back
Oh, my sweet, neglected blog. It seems I've forsaken you for the flash of Facebook. I'm sorry.
What prompted me to utilize my blog again was NaNoWriJuly...or MiniNaNo. Can't decide. Jenny motivated me to use my unemployment to do some awesome (like write 50k words in month) instead of sitting around the housing, stressing about getting a job.
The job hunting is progressing. I read reports about unemployment figures and it scares me, but I have interviews scheduled. So far the worst ting about being unemployed has been the boredom. I went from working full time, doing an internship and going to school to just going to school. It's like running full tilt and then suddenly stopping. I'm doing nothing with my time and it's driving me crazy.
Clearly, the solution to my excess energy is to write fifty thousand words.
What prompted me to utilize my blog again was NaNoWriJuly...or MiniNaNo. Can't decide. Jenny motivated me to use my unemployment to do some awesome (like write 50k words in month) instead of sitting around the housing, stressing about getting a job.
The job hunting is progressing. I read reports about unemployment figures and it scares me, but I have interviews scheduled. So far the worst ting about being unemployed has been the boredom. I went from working full time, doing an internship and going to school to just going to school. It's like running full tilt and then suddenly stopping. I'm doing nothing with my time and it's driving me crazy.
Clearly, the solution to my excess energy is to write fifty thousand words.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Birthday
I just had a strange conversation with a resident. Today is her birthday. She is now 66. I realized that she was my age when I was born.
It was a little weird.
It was a little weird.
Bad Chocolate
Sometimes I can get the good stuff, meaning Cadbury chocolate actually made in England. Sometimes, just sometimes, my grocery store actually stocks real Cadbury from England, not the nasty stuff made by Hershey.
Sunday I picked up a Dairy Milk bar. No, I did not read the label. I normally do. I was just lazy. Well, lesson learned. Today I took a bit of the chocolate, expecting rich, creamy dairy milk to melt in my mouth. Instead, I got something waxy, grainy and oddly "chocolate" flavored by not really chocolate. At first I thought the bar was old. I checked the expiration date. Nope. Then I noticed the label. Made by Hershey.
Damn you, Hershey! You have ruined my chocolate for the last time!
Sunday I picked up a Dairy Milk bar. No, I did not read the label. I normally do. I was just lazy. Well, lesson learned. Today I took a bit of the chocolate, expecting rich, creamy dairy milk to melt in my mouth. Instead, I got something waxy, grainy and oddly "chocolate" flavored by not really chocolate. At first I thought the bar was old. I checked the expiration date. Nope. Then I noticed the label. Made by Hershey.
Damn you, Hershey! You have ruined my chocolate for the last time!
Monday, March 02, 2009
Snow Day!
Here you see me looking like a fashion plate with my Harry Potter scarf. And this is my car under six inches of snow.
Friday, February 20, 2009
My apple tastes weird
So, I'm at work, munching on an apple. I'm enjoying it. It's crisp and juicy and bacony. Wait, what?
My apple has a bacon after taste. I kid you not.
Either this is some sort of glorious mutation or genetic experiment that spits in the face of nature. I can't decide.
My apple has a bacon after taste. I kid you not.
Either this is some sort of glorious mutation or genetic experiment that spits in the face of nature. I can't decide.
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