Books
Hi there! This is where I chart my adventures with both reading and listening. I try to rate and log my thoughts on each work if possible. Ratings are my opinion at the time and are subject to change without a notice :D
If you have any recommendations, please do let me know. I enjoy discovering new interesting subjects or going down rabbit holes.
So Good They Can't Ignore You last updated 3 weeks ago
I'd give this a 2.5/5
I can sum it up in two words, get good. In more words, get good at something people will pay for, use that skill capital to take control of how you do your work, be happy. I mean that is kinda it.
There are some great ideas and decent examples to back the thesis but many examples which are not good. It also seems to cherry pick a bit in my opinion. The thesis comes across as if there is a formula to findings great work with all these made up terms like rule 4 and adjacent normative or some nonsense. The only real info which is in fact very valuable is that getting really good at a job people will pay money for does in fact pay off in the long run.
There is a great deal of time spent on looking at people who have hit the "formula" but they are super contrived examples. Some music person who sells a company for 20m is not a great example. That is super lucky and unlikely. Two dudes of learned that offshoring in the dotcom boom makes money is also not amazing. A drop out wallstreet guy who fails at being a yogi is also not the best. Heck, even some failed discovery channel show about archeology which was criticized for pushing pseudohistory. Like that is both lucky and also undermines the thesis of the book as it seems the dude who made the show had to "sacrifice" authenticity to push for a watchable show.
You see, these examples generally have a tremendous amount of circumstance which when framed in a certain way can make it seem like there is a formula they followed other than hard work. You cannot get the same results via a formula and hard work. There are other examples which simply fall into the bucket of "this person is passonate about their work" which completely undermines the books thesis such as a researcher who just loves researching.
Now there are some decent examples of less successful people too which match the thesis far better.
A programer who has a great deal of autonomy due to turning down higher paying work for said autonomy. A farmer who learned to farm before farming. These examples show the thesis far better as there is less luck in them. The person works hard at developing a skill. They then use that skill to buy back control in their life. This control makes them happy as they can do other things now or something.
Idk i love the idea of hard work and building valuable skills and I also like the idea of not "following" a passion but overall I think the book just fell pretty flat for me.
last updated 4 weeks ago
Ciri plot isn't as interesting as the other characters. The "ubermanch" gets old a bit.
last updated 4 weeks ago
Really fun with the little gang tracking Ciri. Fun characters that all stand out well.
The bits about other characters and Ciri are less compelling.
last updated 4 weeks ago
Characters and world are still great but style of story telling with flashbooks is a bit disjointed for my liking. Jumping around is a bit annoying. Also, Ciri is like a god which gets old as any MC usually does but I get she is the uber god person.
Bounty hunter dude is great. Wish there was more of him.
last updated 4 weeks ago
n/a
last updated 4 weeks ago
Played the games first and decided to try the books. Amazing, likely better to me than the Lord of the rings books. Ya, i highly regard this book.
last updated 4 weeks ago
Humanity is heavy metal and brutal. Seriously, sapiens are just brutal. Even before big technologies we dominate the planet in a way that few other creatures have.
Way too much time was spent bashing religion or more specifically the only religion the author knew thoroughly. The "god is bad m'kay" shtick is just so old when the target is christians. Author certainly wasn't bold enough to look at the other major abrahamic religions who killed a whole heck of a lot of people. ;)
I'd highly recommend the read. It is an easy read and has some amazing descriptions of how humanity came to be and how humanity dominated the world well before modern technologies.
last updated 4 weeks ago
n/a
The Intelligent Investor Rev Ed. last updated 4 weeks ago
If you have never read much about investing first principles, this is a great start. The tldr is that investing is not speculating and most of what people do when talking about investing is actually speculating. It does feel a bit dated though.
The best takeway I think is that it is in fact best to DCA regardless of the market even in the major indexes. Also, red usually means buy and green means sell. The market acts in the opposite which is hilarious. FOMO is bad haha.
last updated 4 weeks ago
I great book that likely needs to be read many times. Not because the content is complex but because the framing is highly effective at building energy and motivation to push past the "resistance" of not doing the things you want to do.
The overall thesis can be summed up pretty succinctly. Resistance is the part of your brain that pushes against doing the uncomfortable work you want to do because it is hard to do and you highly value the result of the work. The goal of each day is to win the war against resistance by doing the things you want to do even if they are hard and uncomfortable.
This is where the ice bath shit comes from. It isn't that an ice bath magically makes you smarter but by pushing yourself into an extremely uncomfortable situation position, the rest of your day is much less daunting comparably.
The book is short, has great explanations on the why and is certainly worth a gander for those who struggle with daily practice.
last updated 4 weeks ago
I grabbed this one and the second book for listening whilst I moved across states on a long drive.
A fantastic book full of all kinds of interesting plots and subplots which wrap up nicely at the end. The characters each have unique motivations and behaviors which match up to said motivations without any contrivances.
In this book the focus is certainly more on the world rather than the characters. The characters are rather numerous but not so much as to be confusing. The overall plot is around a city next to a forest which connects worlds together. The city has recently been conquered by an empire who's goal is to "perfect" the world by using all the "non-perfect" magics and powers as tools. You have gods, demons, magics, guns and more all of which have fairly simple rules that make nothing more powerful than the other. There is no "trump" card so to speak in the power game.
I'd give this a go for any fantasy lover. It is solid and the writing is on par with Brando and the greats.
last updated 4 weeks ago
The second book in this series I read during a long cross state car drive.
This one focuses on characters in a world rather than a world with characters. The characters a great and they all go through fantastic growth. The main dude is an ex-priest who cannot cause harm to anyone and is the last follower of a lost god. He joins a medical ward in the army of an oppressive empire. The ward is full of other misfits who all work together in a "family" to survive.
I love the world and characters here. Everyone feels real without coming across as contrived. While there is battle constantly happening the focus being on a medical tent makes it less about who can throw the biggest fireball and more about who can heal the best all with many subplots which tie up nicely at the end.
I will say my one little nitpik is that the relationship between the main dude and his god does get old. You can only have them bicker so much and so often before it starts to get old. All the other forgotten gods are great.
One thing I would highly praise is how the focus is often on characters who exist in a world with rules and must figure out how to solve problems within those rules often bending them in fun interesting ways to solve a problem. It makes for compelling reading assuming the solutions and rules are not contrived which they are not in this case.
One issue i did find with the rules in the book, spoiler warning, has to do with a women who has a healing like ability. You see, she can take "harm" from someone into herself. So say someone breaks an arm, she can heal it at the cost of her arm breaking. She can then heal her broken arm by spreading the "harm" across her very long lifetime kinda acting like an infinite healing sink but with a small hole limiting the flow. You cannot heal an army but you can heal a few people every day. The issue is that the main dudes draw back with his god's power is that after someone is healed they cannot do harm or else they get the healing undone. Well, between these two people you have a pretty great synergy. Just have the god heal people and then once the sink healing women is ready to take more harm she can heal the person as they break the gods rules. This fixes the issue the army has with the gods healing powers as soldiers can now fight again after being healed by the god. This would solve SOOO many problems the characters run into and is a pretty obvious a solution. I wish there was a little bit of writing showing why this couldn't be done or something but alas there wasn't.
last updated 3 months ago
A militaristic space series about a low life marine who grows into a leader of men with the main bad guys being a space jihadists. This series is if you took terrorists and the US military and replaced a few terms with some scifi jumbo. It isn't all bad but my god is the setting bland as fuck and the main dude has a plot armor so thick you could drop a nuke on him and he would block it with his chin.
For the price it wasn't bad for a few four hour flights but not particularly compelling.
last updated 3 months ago
A strong book but not as good as the first. Religion is front and center as the major theme against a backdrop of political intrigue. The world building is fantastic. Everything feels rich and believable. The series was ahead of its time.
last updated 3 months ago
Ok, I like this progression fantasy genre. And Will Wight is the go to master of it. This is the second book in his 3rd series which is a giant mash up of all kinds of concepts set in a huge universe where one special MC dude tries to save everyone from a bunch of universe ending calamities.
Will does a great job at setting up a large concept and teasing out payoffs and this book is a payoff so what was set in motion from the first book. As a continuation from the first it is great but as a standalone, it is...boring. I think Will in this series leans a little too hard on his "soft magic" system. That is to say, the explanations are handwavy and not based on a concrete set of rules. The rule of cool usually can sidestep this issue but I found the cool to not be particularly strong in this book.
Too much of the world is just a handwave of "magic" but often calling it "technology" and "science". It hit an inflection point with me where there was no different in the world with how magic worked vs "technology" The book really tries to hammer home how they are different but in function they are both just magic.
I am being extra critical here because I am dropping this series. The book was that weak to me and totally turned me off.
last updated 3 months ago
I watched the new Dune movie and then decided to read the book. Damn, the book is solid. I can see why people didn't read the second book in the series because the first entry Dune, just lands perfectly well as a novel.
We all know Dune at this point I assume. It is a space opera about politics, religion, and philosophy. There are some lines from this book which are pretty goddamn good. I think the book is on the same level of Orwell, Rand, and many others. It transcends the genre at many points.
The most interesting concept to me explored in the book is that of change or the fundamental need for it. The idea is basically that if things are easy, life stagnates, and when life stagnates for too long, something "breaks" which forces change to happen as to not change means death. Or in other words, life must evolve or die and evolution requires a harsh environment which culls the weak.
I am a big fan of the idea that people are at their best under the maximum level of pressure and constrains they can handle. People should be pushed to to the precipice of failure. Not past failure but to the knifes edge where one breath would tip the scale from victory to defeat. This is where humanity is most present, most engaged, and most alive. This is how humanity learns to adapt and overcome. Without being pushed to that razors edge, life stagnates.
ya, Dune is certainly my style of fiction. Love this book. I don't think I will read more as I kinda think the book is perfect. Highly recommend for just about anyone.
Never Split the Difference last updated 3 months ago
A solid read on negotiation tactics framed behind a former FBI hostage negotiator. It is held back due to the crazy arrogance of the author. Dude talks like he can negotiate his way into the pants of any human on the planet. I joke but only slightly.
Still worth a read.
last updated 6 months ago
The final book in the Cradle series. It is an excellent wrap up if a bit contrived. One issue with the style of progression fantasy is how payoffs often are not earned or end up feeling unearned. Will Wight is great at navigating this but the book was clearly rushed. Like he wanted to wrap up the series and move on. It ends very quickly and the power ups are not earned.
The early books in the series are the best as each new power level feels earned. Time is taken to show the struggles each character must go through to hit the next level.
Now, the characters kinda just eat shit and blast to the next power level. No really. That is what they do. With a splash of special spirits which are now in a seemingly unlimited supply, anyone can just eat, cycle, and advance. Just add a sprinkling of bored author to the mix. It is supremely lazy compared to the earlier books and feels very much like Mr. Wight was bored and wanted it to end. I get where he is coming from and I still enjoyed the fast food meal the whole series was. It had to end and this is certainly a digestible ending. Wish him the best on the next series.
last updated 6 months ago
Look, if I could get a refund, I would. This book really is awful.
This is suppose to be a sequel to a first book which "better clarifies" the concepts of the original. It doesn't clarify anything. The overall concept is explained pretty easily and is not hard to grasp however the book seems to be a disjointed set of analogies to the original books concept without any real cohesion to the bigger picture.
I mean the concept is interesting and I am sure the author is a super mega smart genius but the book is just dull. I don't care about how you became a vegan. I don't care about all your friends from Yale and Harvard. I care about the strange loop. It is like this dude didn't think people understood the first book and found the solution to be explaining the same thing in 20 slightly different ways hoping that it will click better. Either that or the guy wanted a pay check. Idk. It is bad.
last updated 9 months ago
A solid breakdown of how talent doesn't really exist and most of it can be broken down to environment and hardwork. Why is Tiger Woods so good at golf? Because of his dad who had him playing from the time he was born. No seriously that is why. Same with most hyper elite people in their respective domains. It is strikingly true. A family of master level chess players was also used as an example where several dropped focusing on chess due to lack of interest but were still world class due to their upbringing. This also explains why systemic poverty and broken families produce such poor outcomes for children when compared to families who are present.
Maybe You Should Talk to Someone last updated 9 months ago
A bad or maybe good Hallmark movie. No to be fair this is a fun book that has a warm and uplifting feel to it even if it does kinda fall off at the end without any conclusion. It is basically several people's stories including the author told across time with all with a "good" although perhaps a bit contrived outcome.
I enjoyed it greatly for what it is. Laymen's pop psychology is always fun. I am greatly skeptical of the "real" people the author talks about as there is a pretty strong confidentiality thing with therapists.
One thing that was kinda nozzly was how the Lori the author had like 4 highly successful careers and just kinda flopped around. Made it in Hollywood, then in med school, then in psychology, then as an author....etc etc.
It is a bit ironic that Lori pats herself on the back for turning down book deals which are all about selling pop psychology as she wants to be a "real" therapist who's focus is on helping people and yet if you look her up and what she does....it is the standard podcast, book touring, speeking engagement trek which pays far far more than doing the actual work of helping people.
Ok, one thing I wanted to mention here as it did strike me in a rather profound way. These book reviews are likely not to be read by anyone other than myself so I suppose I can get a little personal here. I won't go into details but the theme of "forgiveness" came up in the book. I have heard many many times that in order to move on from some past harm one has to forgive the abuser. Not for the person who did the harm but for the victim. Lori basically says, fuck that and that you can move on without forgiveness. She says what is more important is to forgive yourself for not being able to "move past" the harm someone did. It isn't always as simple as an "i forgive you" when it comes to life long damage. I....really liked that. I have personally felt a tremendous guilt for not being able to forgive someone who passed away before I could reconcile with them but you know....I don't think I could have just forgiven them. It isn't that simple. I really should focus on forgiving myself. It is ok to not be "passed" harm someone did. You don't need to dwell on it or lose sleep over it but you also don't need to forgive it either. While certainly not a novel concept it was a bit new to me. Ok, personal rant over. Cheers!
last updated 9 months ago
I think I will pause on the series. If more books come out, i'll pass. I have had my fill of Frank and co. The series is pretty amazing for the genre and I would highly recommend it to those who enjoy litRPG but the formula is obvious and the victories are far too contrived. I don't think the author planned this far out and is just having fun at this point.
last updated 9 months ago
Popcorn litRPG. Pretty boring MC who is some rich asshole but not totally unlikeable. However, what carries the series is the fun MMORPG world. The outside world stakes are realistic. No one is "locked in" or "stuck" or "taken to another world" nonsense. Just a "hey modern world is going on and some rich dude is trying to pay to win which backfires but then also doesn't." It is a solid premise for the genre and again the game world is good fun. Clearly the author has actually played MMOs and tries hard to convey the teamwork and dynamics in the writing.
If you like litRPG, this is solid.
last updated 9 months ago
Story continues. Stakes go up. Good fun. Main dude is getting a little too overpowered but hey he did pay to win so I am game.
last updated 9 months ago
Much of the same but people are growing in power. Good consistent characters. This is one of the best popcorn litRPG out there.
last updated 9 months ago
An amazing very Fry'esk telling of greek mythos. From Chronos to Zeus and everything in between. The alliteration is positively stupid here. Seriously! Once you catch on to it, it is almost too much. But the reading, the prose, the story telling are all just top notch British humor which if that is NOT your kind of thing you'd be better off with passing on this one. Otherwise, I say to grab a copy and never look back. It is one of the best modern retellings of the mythos without losing the charm of the original stories. Highly recommended.
last updated 9 months ago
Alas I have found another popcorn space opera. All your usually trappings are here but gender swapped. Almost exclusively strong female characters and aliens. But never fret! The MC is a physically weak cry baby with mental powers. The author tries to play a little with post war trauma but it lands flat.
The world is bunches of fun though and worth the trek if you are into the genre.
last updated 9 months ago
The story continues!
The side characters are much more interesting than the cry baby MC but he does finally turn around a bit and get serious.
The world is still interesting however the author realllly stretched this one. There are many pages which are almost exact rewordings of earlier content. For example, the null space, not space, other space, or whatever is explained the same way at least 20 times in the book as the MC interacts. It feels like padding. Will I read the next book? idk. I shouldn't but damn is this fast food delicious.
last updated 9 months ago
A decent little conclusion to the main series. The main dude just became far far too much of a cry baby for me to remember too much though.
last updated 1 year ago
Finished this a while ago and didn't write down my thoughts when they were fresh. Altogether an interesting take on how powerful narratives are on behavior which then drives economic decisions. The examples used throughout history interest but much of the overall theme is rather obvious. The lack of methods which can effectively predict or create narratives makes the book add little overall value. Yes, governments and marketers all attempt to craft and push certain views and ideas but usually they co-opt an organic trend as it is much easier to pull off which again I think we all knew.
I would not recommend buying or reading this book unless you are looking for some examples which further justify what is already common sense to most. I don't regret the read but there are better books worth the time.
last updated 1 year ago
I think I'll need more time to write out thought on this one as there is a bunch to unpack.
I do think it is worth noting that there was controversy around some of the data which was used to justify a bit of the thesis here. My understanding is that some of the experiments were not repeatable but do your on research on it. To me is just means that everything needs a little more salt.
The idea that we have 2 optimized pathways for different kinds of thinking or processing makes sense. The description of fast and slow also helps keep things more digestible for the laymen, eg me. This isn't the first time I have been introduced to some of the concepts. We take short cuts constantly in our thinking among other things and it impact our behavior.
My 2c take away is primarily that one should just be mindful about how we process information. I am not sure if it is so black and white as Fast and Slow but there is certainly a spectrum there with measurable extremes.
I'd naturally highly recommend the book or at least part of the book. It does get a little text booky, I wouldn't say you need to read it end to end to get 80% of the value out of it.
last updated 1 year ago
When I saw this come out I told my partner, "you know, if I start this, you are not going to hear a word from me again until I finish it right?"
And....that is exactly what happened. Started it and couldn't stop until it was over. Idk. This popcorn genre is a guilty pleasure. Something nice about the idea of working hard to get stronger. Will Wight is the OG of this genre and it shows. He is a master at setting up a big big world and then plopping the characters somewhere in the power hierarchy. In this case they start slightly higher on the ladder than most but still small in the larger scope of the world. This keeps a great sense of progression leaving you with a "just one more turn" feeling.
I do thing I am finding a sense of fatigue though. The setup is great and drops you right into action but it it later on comes off as very very contrived with stupidly overpowered main character. I get that is the genre but him and the others start off a little too strong. Their abilities also come off as a little too "oh you didn't know that they also had this one secret thing which just so happens to be great right now?".
I think I'd need like another 10 books though before I get bored :D
last updated 1 year ago
Another OP MC progression fantasy book. This one is pretty meh. The magic system starts off strong and interesting but the world building starts to fall flat as you get to the end. If you want a little popcorn, give it a go, otherwise pass.
last updated 1 year ago
What a weirdo. Ayn Rand is fucking weird man. Don't get me wrong, there are aspects of this book that resonate with me but there are certainly many other uhh aspects that are uhh just fucking weird. It is almost like the book fanfic where the female protagonist is Ayn Rand. It all kinda clicks when you think about it. I just need to acknowledge the the weird creepy undertones in some parts of this book before touching on anything else.
I love the cynical bleeding critique of the "second handers". I think I know exactly who these kinds of people are. Not everyone is a second hander but they are out there. Hell, we all have had times where we have been a second hander. This leads me to the most interesting character, Peter Keating. He I think most closely resembles the average person. We all have a drive in us. We want to something which interests us simply because it interests us. Because we cannot imagine a world where we didn't do that thing and not doing it brings pain. However, the world is cruel and so we make sacrifices to survive. This is how it has always been. Pater's struggle is something I think we all connect with more than whatever Howard is. Peter seems to have had the vision and capacity for greatness but chose to be a second hander. This is closer to the real world where we all make compromises on principles to survive.
Most of the other characters are one dimensional which leads to what Ayn Rand has from my understanding always been critizied of. She has a conclusion preordained and then writes a story to sell it. Where as if the story was written not to sell politics but to be a good story it would have been much more compelling. The idea Howard pulling Peter Keating out of being a second hander and into being a first hander is interesting. I'd want to see that. I want to see Howard have harder struggles like his mentor did seeing the people he cares about suffering. Something anything more than a pages and pages of political pontification.
I don't mean to say that the writing itself is bad. It isn't. It is outstanding. Ayn Rand is a great writer. And I'd go as far as to say she is a deep thinker too. But she is no Plato nor a Freud maybe closer to a Richard Dawkins.
last updated 1 year ago
The prequel to Cycle of Arawn. It follows the teacher of Dante from Cycle of Arawn. It is a fun well put together story. There is more in this series but I don't think I will continue. While the book is decent it doesn't make me too interested in reading the next book. Perhaps if I had not already read the original series I'd feel more compelled to continue but as it stands I already know most of what happens.
last updated 1 year ago
A classic Alastair Reynolds Novel. He has this giant world with many other books but if there were only one you read, it would be this one. I love Alastair's world building. The characters are a bit flat but they really exist only for the world. There are some fantastic themes explored here not to a crazy depth but fun nonetheless.
How the Stock Market Works last updated 1 year ago
First few minutes are some of the best investment advice lol
Seriously, it is pretty common sense but man do you not hear people say it often
last updated 1 year ago
A good continuation of the series. I had a few hangups, especially around a certain anti-hero character. The formula works even if a bit tiring. If you liked the first book and want to continue the series, then you won't be disappointed.
Spoiler. I don't think full mind-control makes a compelling plot line. After the initial shock, full mind-control just isn't interesting. I don't know why but it is super boring to me. The book tries to blur the lines of where the "mind worm" begins and personal choice ends but it just falls flat for me. In the end, it seems like there was little mind control going on when the anti-hero killed a bunch of people which....makes him a POS. Idk. That plot line just doesn't work for me. The dude deserves to die and I don't get why the old dragons let him live.
last updated 1 year ago
Been a long while since I last touched the Dark Tidings series. Heard there was another entry and thought, why not? As usual Nick Podehl is amazing.
It is still a decent, fun, and compelling world. While the characters are not groundbreaking they are tolerable. The fantasy tropes are unreal though. I don't want to rip in here but they almost ruin the series with how little effort is put into doing something new. It can, at times, feel like someone had a list of fantasy tropes/archetypes and just started creating characters and situations to check them all off. The world is fun though which helps to suspend disbelief.
This is another good entry in the Dark Tidings series and continues to deliver on the super overpowered main character genre well.
The Psychology of Totalitarianism last updated 1 year ago
An extremely intriguing take on mass formation, what it looks like in practice, how it forms, and why it exists. I think the content on mass formation is groundbreaking. At least this is the first time I have come across something as well thought out. I particularly like how today's "science" community in many ways can fall fate to the same mass formation cult like issues that plague religions. We have to contend with it and not ignore the fact mass formation shows up outside religions. Seriously interesting to think about.
Sadly, it falls apart a bit toward the end with a kinda thesis of religion and how we have forgotten it? idk. Didn't really know what he was trying to say there. I followed the logic but then it gets a little hand-wavey. Seems like he is jumping the gun toward a conclusion that the presented information wasn't compelling enough to allow. The argument is too faith-based for me to frame it another way.
Still, it has been a while since I read something so compelling with a decent attempt at saying something new instead of regurgitating known information in a different way. I'd highly recommend giving this a go at least far enough into the content on mass formation.
last updated 1 year ago
Riveting and absolutely worthy of more praise. I am so close to finishing it but after 50 hours of listening it is becoming a slog. The detail and research are fantastic but the depth while useful drags against my attention span.
Finally, finished it. What a wild ride. I certainly want to write out my thoughts on this more to help process the content. I will say this, if you can make it through the book, it is worth it. It really does show how politics works today. Everyone is in bed with each other and corruption runs wild. It gives a ton of context and makes what people complain about in modern politics seem so small.
last updated 1 year ago
A well-executed formula with a few flavorful twists. Certainly not ground breaking but great fun still.
last updated 1 year ago
n/a
last updated 1 year ago
Pretty impressed. I am normally pretty jaded these days on books of this subject. Usually, it is like a single sentence of value and then 12 chapters of fluff. The most valuable part for me is when the author is just describing their experiences navigating their career. The difference between Apple and Google culture was fascinating to me. The idea of "fuck massages" does resonate with me.
If you are interested in the life stories of a successful dude's career in silicon valley, this is a great read. If you want some interesting drama and an inside view at how google works at the executive level, this is also a pretty fun read.
PS: Seriously, after hearing how Google works internally and how it made decisions. JFC! I will never work at that place. It sounds like a dystopian hell.
From Yao to Mao: 5000 Years of Chinese History last updated 1 year ago
n/a
last updated 1 year ago
And the story continues. This series is seriously a guilty pleasure. I love it.
One thing I noticed with this entry is how likable all the characters are. It is rare that I come across a series where every character is tolerable. Most of the time there is at least one character who is just insufferable and drags everything down. That isn't the case here. At least for me that isn't the case.
last updated 2 years ago
A decent little book. It is surprisingly good given the age it was written. The world is fun and interesting however the characters are a little uninteresting. They carry the plot well enough but I never found I cared much for them. I listened to the audio version with Tim Curry narrating and he is amazing.
last updated 2 years ago
I think this was part of a series or something. Solid little romp. Worth a read.
last updated 2 years ago
This book makes me want to try my hand at writing. Why? It is just so....bad. I honestly think I could write something more interesting. It is a prime example of telling and not showing. Almost everything is told as if it were a lecture in a classroom. Virtually zero prose of any kind.
I could get past the lackluster writing style but the plot is just....boring. It is your run of the mill op MC but zero character of any kind anywhere. Dude just like walks into a situation and bam, is becomes more and more godlike. The world building feels made up as it goes. Oh, there is this kind of spirit energy no one talked about conveniently here now. Oh ya, there is this super special brush that turns out to be godly. It just feels like nothing matters. The cast other than the MC are exceedingly boring and almost zero time is spent developing any of them. It is like one of those budget trash anime which exists only to sell figurings of the characters.
Hence, why I feel like I could write something as terrible or well more so just bland and boring. It really is that weak. Still, if you have an audible sub it is free so...i guess there is that.
last updated 2 years ago
A nice ending to the series with a well-earned payoff. It was all set up from the first book and it doesn't feel contrived at all. In many series, it is clear the author just didn't know where to go or what to do. It is clear there was a planned ending from the start of the first book. Well done.
I feel like the growth of the characters may have been stretched out too much. This series likely should have only been 2 when the fluff was pulled out or maybe one long book. All the journies of the characters made sense and didn't feel overly contrived just too drawn out.
I'd highly suggest this series to anyone who is looking for something a little different in the fantasy genre. The world is the best part and keeps you hooked. I can easily see many game masters pulling ideas out of this world to use in their own creations.
last updated 2 years ago
This is the second book in the series and the first book was a hard act to follow. My biggest gripe is the writing starts to feel very drawn out. The protagonist is super self-loathing which isn't all too bad but it repeats his thought process which ends up being...well...repetitive. Repetitive to the point where I actually thought the same lines were written multiple times over on a single page.
The love interest also just feels a bit....lame? I just didn't care about the motivation of the protagonist. Not even a little. All I wanted was more of the world-building and more of the Nameless. If you are going to finish the series, it is worth getting through but is most certainly not my favorite.
last updated 2 years ago
Amazing. The world-building is fantastic and outshines the protagonist but in a good way. This falls into the grimdark genre but it bypasses the grotesque sexual or violent content found in most other books of the genre eg Game of Thrones whilst still keeping the atmosphere dark. I am always a big fan of worlds that mix gunpowder and magic in interesting ways. The end has to be one of the best wrap-ups I have come across in a long long while. I won't spoil anything but it was earned in every way.
This book is part of a series and after finishing the series, it is certainly the strongest entry by a country mile. If you were to stop at this book, it wouldn't be too much of a loss due to how well it wraps up.
Grim, dark, gritty, all without going overboard. Magic, gunpowder, science, without diving down into pages of made-up physics. Awesome read.
last updated 2 years ago
Another in the Cradle series. I also learned that this is a subgenre called progression fantasy. Nice. I like it. Will again does a great job of letting characters grow and well....progress whilst still keeping a grip on the power differences between characters in the world.
It is getting a little over the top with planet and universe destroying weapons. I wish I heard less of the uber battles since it makes things feel a little....disjointed.
Still I cannot get enough of the world. I want more.
last updated 2 years ago
If you have read John Gwynne before, it is much of the same. Darker but not gross nor over the top fantasy.
There are 3 points of view it shifts from. It is almost totally overkill. I sometimes find myself unable to follow what is happening. There are a ton of names and terms and each of the 3 points of views has a new cast of people which almost never overlap. 2 of the 3 viewpoints are rather boring or uninteresting.
The mother trying to find her son. Ok, not bad. Kind boring as this is a common plot line in many John Gwynne's books. She is crazy strong but it is explained in a way which makes it believable.
The slave dude with some blood oath against a sister. Ok the vengeance thing is boring but he has fantastic character growth as he slowly finds things to live for and give purpose.
The women fighter in the band or group. Idk this one I just couldn't care for. I didn't really get too much about what was happening and just didn't care. I think the issue I am having is understanding why I am reading this? Is it a backstory? Or how does this matter in relation to the other stories?
I think the major flaw is I have a hard time connecting the 3 points of view because there is so little overlap. It feels like 3 books.
Even so I love the style and world building. It is consistent with its logic and nothing feels unearned. I look forward to the second book. :D
last updated 2 years ago
A decent book about energetics geared around the fads in the diet and weight loss world. The content is great even though we all have likely heard most of it before. What the book does is kinda take all the fragmented correct information backed by actual science we have heard before and put it together into something coherent. I love how it completely rips apart so many nonsense diets based around "hunter gatherer" diets.
Two major flaws for me.
1. Super annoying ego stroking. So many smarmy lines about how smart the author is and all the people he met in his career. Like, I get it. Ivy League privilege and prestige. Yale brotherhood. Whatever. It gets old fast and kinda ties into the second flaw
2. Politics. Look. We get it climate change and more so human pollution is bad but the last few chapters were almost pure activism. Activism coming from someone who likely contributed more to CO2 emissions in a month than the average person does in a decade. Most of us don't spend 6 months a year on an airplane. If the above doucheness wasn't so strong throughout the book, maybe the activism at the end would come across more genuine.
It isn't just calories in calories out when it comes to weight loss. I mean it is but there is more going on there. Give it a listen/read.
What Every BODY is Saying last updated 2 years ago
A great book that will help one be a bit more mindful about reading body language whilst interacting. However, this will not mean that you can somehow magically tell if someone is full of shit or not. Even the author says it is about just adding more data that is often overlooked.
last updated 2 years ago
A surprisingly decent little fantasy romp. It crafted a better world and more interesting characters than so many "mega" titles I have read. I am going to have to find more from this author.
last updated 2 years ago
A great high level view of the history of Rome. It is fun because people have not changed, only technology.
last updated 2 years ago
Another mediocre romp. The world is interesting. Magic mixed with technology and all steampunky; right up my alley. Sadly the characters are one dimensional and flat. The plot lines overall are not terrible but my god I just didn't give a crap about any of the characters. They had almost zero personality, growth, or development of any kind. It reads closer to a short story than a book.
Antagonists get introduced and then killed of in a couple of chapters. Honestly, most of the time is spent on high school level romance which naturally doesn't feel earned at all. It is like, oh wow they are hot I kinda want them in my bed....and then they fuck two pages later. At least that was in the first book. The second book is even more juvenile where people who have met for all of 3 days are like, "OMG I will DIE for you." Perhaps I am not the target audience here but even the "sex" is super vague and skipped over so I don't see how this is even the typical 50 shades of grey kind of book. I just feel disappointed after getting through the first 2 "books".
I put this up as another one where the world has so much potential but the author has no idea what to do with characters. The Farseer set I read previously has a similar problem but the characters are MUCH stronger than the ones here. They at least have some kind of development or journey even if it is also rather lackluster.
Lindsay Buroker who I have never read until now seems prolific. I was hoping she'd be a solid 3-4 star author but sadly it is closer to 2.5 at best. I will drop the rest of the book and avoid her other work. What a shame.
last updated 2 years ago
An interesting history book of sorts framing WW1 and WW2 through finance. A compelling argument is made that both wars and more so WW2 along with the depression were from a poor decision made by the major economic powers to go onto a gold standard and totally botch reparation negotiations from the first world war.
It kinda of blows my mind how incompetent people get into positions where they can make a choice which totally poos up the world. It also blows my mind that ridiculous wealthy people make economic decisions which have trade offs on who in the finance world gets fucked. Do we screw over the working class or those who are saving money? More often than not, it is the working class who get fucked.
Also interesting to see how the FED became the FED.
One of the most interesting parts of the book was the lead up to the great depression on the American side. The speculation people had in the market seems to hit very close to home in todays speculative world in both crypto and tech stocks.
last updated 2 years ago
It isn't worth slogging through the second book in this series for the end but the final book is much better than the second one. The characters are stronger in part because we spend less time on padding/filler with the MC.
The ending wraps things up well and in somewhat unexpected ways. I again feel like 50% is fresh and interesting but the other 50% is just a bit too contrived. Plot threads wrap up a little too suddenly. It feels like we need another book towards the end and then we get jerked to a conclusion.
Overall I wish I didn't spend any audible credits on this series. It just isn't worth it. If I could get this whole set for a single credit, the value would be reasonable but 3? Nah, hard pass.
last updated 2 years ago
This series could be so much better but damn there are issues. My god is the main character so dumb. He constantly does things which make no sense at all or somehow end up with him getting hurt. It is almost like abuse porn or something.
There are so many times where it feels like padding. Like just get on with it. Half this book is basically the MC wondering around getting beat up all the time. Characters leave and rejoin again all the time. The magic system or theory is interesting but shallow. Stuff happens, and then it is just explain as "The Skill". Oh, look MC is basically about to die because he was an idiot, bam dude from across the world saves him because "The Skill".
The thing that is frustrating is that the world is solid and compelling. I want to know more about the inner working of The Skill but it more often than not is just used in a contrived way to make the story "interesting". Allusion magic is used once in a ridiculous way but never comes up again. Just feels like padding.
The Farseer: Assassin's Apprentice last updated 2 years ago
A decent little book with a promising start. The main character is a little bit of a cry baby but the world is fun and interesting. If you are into coming of age stories, it is a solid start. Sadly, this is the best in the series so may be better off stopping after this one. If you have the time and like fantasy in general, keep going but the series goes down hill.
last updated 2 years ago
Ok I had to finish it. Much better than the previous book. The end was epic and conclusive. I did get the feeling the ending was a little rushed as different story arcs just kinda all conclude and wrap up quickly. Overall I am just glad it is over and I can check this off as finished.
How is the series as a whole? If you want a game of thrones with less sex, this is your game.
last updated 2 years ago
I feel like the author at this point has a catchphrase, "All was chaos" I swear every single fight, which there are many of, starts with this. I get it. Fighting is a mess and chaotic but it is seriously comedic at this point.
An item that also has gotten out of hand is the graphic gore descriptions. I think this author decided to get all Game of Thrones edgy. I don't want to read vivid descriptions of men being tortured and maimed. It is better to leave out some of the specifics in favor of insinuations. Leave it up to the reader's imagination to fill in gaps. Like the bear eating a man alive slurping up his intestines was way over the top. Why not just leave it at him being eaten alive and let us decide how nasty we want to imagine it to be. Why you got to describe the process for 2 pages? Felt like the author spent a bit too much time fantasizing about killing people in weird ways.
I was getting bored of it but right as it picks up in the end and gets really good in the...gets not good. You see if you nix the last 2 chapters or so it sets up the next book well. But then, the author decides to "unexpectedly" add another massive battle at the end. It seriously comes out of nowhere. I was like wait, how did these people get here? When did this happen? It just felts off. Rushed? I am not sure.
Man, I want to know the rest of it but the ending may have done it all in for me. It doesn't feel as good as the first book. Maybe I will try the last book. Idk. I am kinda done with the gore though.
last updated 2 years ago
If you read the first book, this is enough more of the same. I will be honest it totally missed a bunch at the end when I fell asleep whilst listening. I didn't care enough to go back and was a little lost.
The mind control magic shit was boring. Like I give credit for not going into details and keeping things vague but seriously it isn't an interesting mechanic writing. At least not in this case.
I am continuing to the third book but I am feeling a bit winded at this point. I don't care about most of the characters. Like Nather or whatever and his bromance dude are so boring. I may just start skipping their parts.
The Complete Fiction of H.P.Lovecraft last updated 2 years ago
The writing is just fun. I am blown away at how needlessly dense the writing is. Some parts are particularly boring while others are just brilliant. Hopefully I will find the time to finish it.
last updated 2 years ago
A fantastic fun read if you want a different take on the typical heroes journey with the standard cast of characters. It jumps around a bit and I got confused often on who was who given the plethora of names but it isn't too bad. Best way of describing this is take Game of Thrones and drop out all the softcore porn. So basically the good stuff. I will delay the Three Body Problem continue the series while I am hooked.
last updated 2 years ago
I got this because a review made it seem like it was worth a credit and...it was. There is no game of thrones nasty crap, no weird gore, over-the-top sex or magic powers, insufferable characters, political agendas, etc. It is a story about people and the circumstances they get swept up into. And best of all, it has an end. Yes, that is right. It actually ends on the last page. No dumb, cliffhangers or drawn-out plots to push more books just a nice tight clean ending if a bit contrived.
This is not some groundbreaking work but a fantastic little story with all the ups and downs we'd expect. I enjoyed it. If you like fantasy and enjoy pre-world war I time periods with warlocks, give this a go.
last updated 2 years ago
A nice little tidbit you can give to your boomer dad to intro them to the benefits of meditation. The only issue is that the narrator (also the author) sounds so super ultra mega spiritual which even for me was a massive turn-off. The words themselves are great but man it would be nice if the "enlightened" voice was toned down a few thousand levels. But really the explanation is super solid and no BS which Ilike. If you already meditate every day, may want to pass but if you are looking to get back into it or want a good starter, this is worth it.
last updated 3 years ago
A fun light-hearted little read. Relaxing. I would not say this is some groundbreaking writing or some super unique plotline but it is a nice complete little read.
I do want to say I did NOT like how some of the audible narration was done. There is something that speaks in sounds like music notes. Instead of leaving it up to the listener to fill in or imagine what the sound is, they used some stupid synth with some dumb voice effect. It wasn't totally offputting but it would have been so much better without it. The description of what the voice is supposed to sound like is solid and I'd have rather imagined it than had it spoon-fed to me.
The narrator is, hit and miss. I did not like him as he sounded very....boomery. He also adds WAY too many unnecessary inflections on words that sound a bit cringy. Like, imagine saying awesome in a SUPER singsongy voice. Now, take that and sprinkle it all over the place. That kind of thing just sounds terrible in audiobooks. He wasn't so bad as to distract too much just kinda....would rather a different performance.
If you want a nice easy no pressure simple read, give it a go.
last updated 3 years ago
Edit: Good fun. Like a table top session.
How to Listen to and Understand Music last updated 3 years ago
Yet to finish this bad boi but over all great. It starts with early days of music and have it evolves throughout history into the complexity we see today. Note, that so far it is very much more focused on western music but does touch upon other areas as well as the evolution is similar.
last updated 3 years ago
Book is ok, the weakest one out of the 4 so far in the Storm Light Archives series. Feels an awful lot like nothing happens until the last few chapters which given it has over 100 of them...yeah. Weak.
I didn't look at any reviews before reading but when I did, damn. I am questioning the rating system on amazon. Almost ALL of the new reviews gave it 1-2 stars. Like 9 out of 10 were negative. I scrolled through hundreds that were all 1-2 stars. Yet somehow the book still has a perfect score. This is the final nail in the coffin for using ratings as a benchmark of any kind especially after the trainwreck that was "He Who Spews Social Commentary".
Ok, so Brando is like one of my favorite authors and I think he deserves me to write out a bit more as to why I think this is his weakest book in the series. I do not feel like it is as bad as the reviews I saw say but all the points people made were valid. One thing I noticed was in the opening Brando thanks a BUNCH of people he consulted about personality disorders etc. I got the feeling of too many cooks in the kitchen so to speak. Much of the middle parts felt like an intro lecture on PTSD and personality issues. It didn't feel like character development but a "let my psychologist consultant explain multiple personality disorder." This ended up stretching everything out too much. Did we need 30 chapters about people being broken and their issues? Can we progress the plot a bit, please?
The ending felt...messy. It was like being bombarded with all the plot that should have happened in the middle of the book but all at once. By the time I started to get pulled back in, the book was over. So many plot threads just "resolve" without much payoff. It felt like a sitcom episode. Everything just kind of....works out in the end. I don't know. The ending wasn't the best.
I am going to be real here. I got to the point where I skipped any chapter or content relating to Aidiln and Shalon (not sure on spelling). The "Price/Jock that everyone likes for some reason" and "I have 10 personalites". They were so boring. I just did not care at ALL what happened to them. I liked everyone else even Pattern but they just kind of suck. I don't typically do this. The last time was with the Wheel of Time. Brando usually has great characters all around but god every time I heard one of their names I just wanted to press "skip" and I did...and I didn't feel like I missed anything. They got SO much time and their plotline didn't matter that much compared to what everyone else was doing. It was almost as if you could pull them out into their own book with a few references to what they did and everything would work out. Maybe this is because they were in another world for most of the book.
Still, even with all those complaints, I liked the book. Brando's writing is still expert level and it shows. I would read more if more is ever written. I have a feeling this is going to go like Game of Thrones and Wheel of Time in that it is likely the author will die before they finish the series. Brando boi I hope you are in good health. I want to see more of your stuff even if it is a bit overcooked.
He Who Fights with Monsters last updated 3 years ago
Honestly, I had high hopes going into this. It was brought up in other litRPG reviews and had 5 stars on amazon! How bad could it be?
It is horrible. Move on. Reasons? Look at some of the lower-rated reviews and you will see why.
Why do I hate it? The main character just sucks all around. Insufferable. Constant terrible social commentary especially around religion for some reason. The writing is poor. The story jumps all over the place. It is like the book is a playground for the author to have fan fiction like debates with himself about social issues in a fantasy setting...which as one can imagine...ends up being a garbage read. The author will try and excuse this with "I am from Australia so its ok" but they actually come across all incelly.
I REALLY wish I could get my credit back. I have NEVER felt so negatively about spending a credit before. It is THAT bad. Clearly, some people like it as the author has a Patreon and is pulling in like 500k a year so...but I still think it is shit.
last updated 3 years ago
A very fast read on high level information about the effect of caffeine. It is told through the story of someone quitting consumption for 3 months and looking at the self reported affects.
I enjoy how there isn't some preachy narrative of how it is evil and bad and shouldn't be consumed. It gives information without trying to sell an angle.
If you have not read much about what caffeine is and how it affects people, then this is a great starting point. I already heard most of the studies and points Mr. Pollan brings up but it was still much fun.
last updated 3 years ago
I love it. It is like an anime but better. The author does a great job setting up plot threads and then executing on them even if it is several books later. Well thought out and very fun.
The MC is interesting just in the sense of their dedication to "getting better". Side characters are far more compelling. All of the different powers and the way they manifest keeps things interesting.
All the books are free if you have an audible subscription which is well worth it.
Sorcery Ascendant Books 1-3 last updated 3 years ago
A solid fantasy romp. A well-executed formula of the fantasy trope of an orphan boy who goes through the hero's journey. It is rather predictable but also enjoyable.
The main character does suffer from being a "Mary Sue" and being ridiculously powerful however the character does grow through the books, unlike other books using the same formula.
Characters are done well. They all feel like they have their own motives and generally act in ways that make sense. Every action feels like there was a reason behind it based on the characters' motivations at the time. When someone does something stupid there are stupid consequences for it.
I loved how deception was done. People usually don't just speak falsehoods outright. They skirt around the truth as much as they can. It is nice to have some believable dialogue instead just a "I know you are lying because magic" and even when there is a character that can do such a thing, their value is not undersold nor perfect.
The romance part didn't make sense. It was like, and bam they are in mad love. I can see how the MC fell for the girl but I have NO idea why or when she fell for him.
Also, the whole, "every woman wants to sleep with the MC" trope gets old so fast. Like, I cannot fault this too much because it is so goddamn common. Even the dude that did wrote "The Name of the Wind" which everyone creams about has the same problem with every chick falling for MC. To be fair to this series, and not Name of the Wind, it was only a few characters and most other female characters wanted to kill him so I guess it may balance out.
last updated 3 years ago
Ok, so I kept reading in the series. I just enjoy the world and the magic system. I also find op MC's to be fun if done right. It is using the deus ex machina a little bit too much for my taste. The behavior of one of the antagonists makes no sense and "hey he is insane" is not a valid excuse. The romance is boring as all hell and massively upends the story flow. All I care for is the MC and learning more magic and how the world works. The most interesting part of the whole damn book was a few pages when "evil" books are found.
Will I read the next one...I don't plan on it. I am afraid the plot setup for the next book sounds regressive. I don't want another "lets learn magic" book. I will likely drop the series.
Give it a go if you enjoy grossly overpowered MC's that have no real consequences for their actions.
last updated 3 years ago
I nice little magic fantasy book that hits all the right notes. It has all the typical tropes with good characters. The first half is good fun but slows down a bit too much at the end. Additionally, the MC starts to get a bit...too dumb towards the end with some decision making. Antagonist characters are flat. They typically are just, "I am a noble and treat you like trash haha" which got old fast.
One thing that stands out is that much time is spent on describing the importance of mundane tasks which I found to help ground the world and give time for characters to develop.
This is part of a series and sadly I don't think I will continue. This book is rather good but the ending was...predictable and most of the interesting characters we spent so much time with are gone. I don't think the MC is interesting enough to carry the next book. The world is interesting but god damn I don't care about romance and the like. I just want more magic.
Moonwalking with Einstein last updated 3 years ago
This book could have been another "4 hour work week" self congratulatory wankfest but wasn't. I want to callout how the author did not flex his ego at all throughout the entire book which I find so rare these days. Good on you sir.
Now, as for the book. It is what it says on the tin and more. To put it in a few words without spoiling anything, it is about how anyone can perform extraordinary on any task if they deliberately practice and apply themselves. The tight writing and narrative about the authors own journey on mastering memory skills is engaging and kept me entertained. There are some fantastic little subplots throughout the book like a savant grifter that honestly pulled me in more than the main content. If you have read any content about memory and the history on how we learned how it works, the first half of the book will be a bit boring.
I would recommend this book for those that enjoy documentaries or underdog competition stories. I liked it.
last updated 3 years ago
A solid popcorn series. I listened to the boxset which includes 3 books. Each was exactly what I was expecting and looking for. These kinds of books have a predictable formula that works. This series didn't add anything particularly new to the mix but it was well executed. Humans, aliens, ai, spaceships, politics, all come together in a nice space opera. While I wouldn't say it is shallow, the series is not super deep.
I did notice something hilarious that is more of a flaw with the genre than this series. These space opera kind of books have this trend of having to increase the stakes with each book/encounter and it ends up being exactly like shonen/teen anime tv shows. This is to say fun but painfully predictable. Seriously. It is like oh no aliens attacking! We made friends with them because it was all a misunderstanding. But wait! they are not the real threat it was these other aliens what a twist. But wait, they are not the real real threat, it was this super powered ai, but wait!!!! Now that the ai is gone it wasn't the REALLL threat it was this other thing. Oh no look, now humanity only has 2 worlds left!
You get the picture. It just makes the later books a bit of a slog to get through. I just don't care anymore when the stakes go from, we may die and lose a ship to the entire universe could end!!!!
Neuroscience of Everyday Life last updated 3 years ago
A great read assuming you have not covered similar content before. I think it does a great job covering what we currently know about how the brain works relating its applications in everyday life. I particularly like how it goes over many topics with a neutral voice such as how religious experiences could be explained and gender/sexuality. Rarely is it a "this is fact" and is more of a "this is what we think so far". It does overlap heavily with similar kind of books so keep that in mind before you buy.
I recently heard a friend refer to this kind of book as pop psychology or pop neurology. I feel like the term is a bit too derogatory to the content in this book. While it is "dumbed down" more for the laymen, it still I think is a far cry from the crap that "news" websites and the like peddle. No, you and I will not be experts on anything after reading it, but we will be greatly more informed than we were before. For example, brain training games that are supposed to make you smarter like brilliant or luminosity are basically bullshit.
Black Holes, Tides, and Curved Space last updated 3 years ago
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The Great Ideas of Philosophy, 2nd ed last updated 3 years ago
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I really like the world building.
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Put it in front of the customer before you build anything. Done, now you don't need to read the book. :p
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I learned your gut is very closely linked to the brain and can make many of the same chemicals. Nifty.
Galaxy Outlaws: The Complete Black Ocean Mobius Missions last updated 3 years ago
I found this when I saw someone say it was like Firefly but with a wizard. I was in and dang is it worth it. It is honestly like a TV show in style that I could see airing alongside Firefly. I wish there was more but am glad for the end they had.
Sufficiently Advanced Magic last updated 3 years ago
This had so much fun in world building but just kind of...falls on its face.
last updated 3 years ago
I think this is the last one in this series. It just gets a little too...money grabby. Like, end it. But they can't. Because then they wouldn't make money.
last updated 3 years ago
These books are terrible but I cannot stop
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and....in
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and in
The Land: Alliances: A LitRPG Saga last updated 3 years ago
And in
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And in
The Land: Founding: A LitRPG Saga last updated 3 years ago
I got sucked in...
last updated 3 years ago
It was all good fun till the end which cut at least a star off for me. I get "young adult" but still felt a bit flat on the final arks. I like Brando but I feel like this is not his best work.
last updated 3 years ago
If you have not heard the JP kinda...idk...ethos of sorts, this is really all you need. It covers the core of the good parts from it and is rather digestible.
last updated 3 years ago
I. Love. It.
last updated 3 years ago
Some characters are starting to become...flat. I honestly only care about a few characters and the rest are just boring. It is starting to remind me of some Shonen anime where we have to spend time with boring side characters in order to finally see the main plot move forward.
last updated 3 years ago
Still strong. If you read the first, read this.
last updated 3 years ago
Not my favorite of Brandos work but damn is it good.
last updated 3 years ago
Downhill honestly. The weird sex goddess stuff kinda killed it all for me. It was like reading some kids fan fiction on how they "became a man".
last updated 3 years ago
I dropped reading this several times because I hated the opening but once I got past it, very good fun. As a programmer I enjoy the focus on naming as I find naming to be one of the most important aspect of writing code.
last updated 3 years ago
Nice take on sticking it to the asshole atheists out there who are more zealous in their non belief than the most ardent are in their beliefs. Like, honestly, I cannot stand atheists these days. So holier-than-thou.
last updated 3 years ago
More popcorn
Life Reset: A LitRPG Novel last updated 3 years ago
I think maybe I like these because I used to make fake game systems as a kid. Still good popcorn time killer
Dante's Immortality: Beginnings last updated 3 years ago
I liked this one in terms of lit rpg because it was not another stupid, hur dur vr sucked in durrr but instead this is just how the world works. More fun to me.
last updated 3 years ago
Nice little into how we tick.
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Why do I like this?
last updated 3 years ago
I still don't know why I enjoy these so much. They are terrible
last updated 3 years ago
Fast food of lit rpg genre. Decent time killer if you'd rather not watch more South Park reruns. Although, you should likely stick to the reruns
last updated 3 years ago
Fast food of lit rpg genre. Decent time killer if you'd rather not watch more South Park reruns. Although, you should likely stick to the reruns
Learn French with Paul Noble for Beginners - Part 1 last updated 3 years ago
Look, I didn't honestly think I'd learn French but I think the lack of visuals just doesn't work for me. The concepts described make great sense but during the road trip I listened to this on, nothing stuck.
last updated 3 years ago
I like the content and it is interesting but it does get drawn out. Sometimes I feel like it is a bit too repetitive or maybe something where fewer words could communicate the same information. Read the 12 Rules for Life instead.
last updated 3 years ago
I love this book. It does a great job showing that the normal view of "talent" is complete trash. Talent has far more to do with many other factors than some genetic innate aspect of someone. I'd highly recommend everyone to read this book.
Building a Better Vocabulary last updated 3 years ago
A nice fun little read where I walked away with maybe 2 new vocab words. Not because I knew all of the words they cover but just because my head maintains zero information.
last updated 3 years ago
A classic that holds true even today. Very much one of those privileged vs non-privileged timeless takes.
Jungian Psychoanalysis: Working in the Spirit of Carl Jung last updated 3 years ago
A good practical intro to how Jungian analysis fits into the modern day psychology.
Memories, Dreams, Reflections last updated 3 years ago
If you are fan of psychology, this is fascinating. If you are not super into it though, avoid as it is a bit long.
last updated 3 years ago
Absolutely amazing. In part this is because it was the first time I was introduced to many of the concepts in the text but one of my favorite reads in this genre.
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