Congrats again on setting up your blog, I have been loving reading some of your first writings. It's really not fair how many exceptional skills you have, leave some talent left for us thank you please 🤣❤ Anyway, looking forward to the Assassin's Quest review. And I really need to re-read Fireborne to finally binge out the series, that is indeed a remarkable YA fantasy! Hope you enjoy whatever you get up to in November, cheers 🥰
Thanks so much, Esmay. I'm so glad to hear you've been enjoying it so far ❤ Have you only read Fireborne or have you read the second one too? What's on your list to read in Nov?
@@bookswithzara I have only read Fireborne but it was during exam season and I retained literally nothing of it lol Anyway, I am prepping for the release of Wind & Truth because I can't resist the hype so I am doing a big last-minute stomrlight reread. Aside from that, gonna do two of the SPFBOX titles for judge duties and just started my re-read of Exhalation by Ted Chiang which is absolutely one of the best short story collections out there!
Great review of books!! I saw the movie Silence, however, I purchased "The Samurai" because of your review. I think the setting of Samurais in what is now modern-day Mexico is very interesting!
Could've sworn I left another comment on here but oh well. Congrats on the blog! I loved Sailing to Sarantium but hopefully Lord of Emperors lands with you. I really appreciated grief as a theme especially early on as I'd lost a family member while I was reading it. Ursula K LeGuin's Tehanu (Earthsea 4) was my favourite read of October but Williams' Stone of Farewell and Adam Nevill's The Ritual came very close, though with the Ritual I was much more creeped out and intimidated by the first half than I was the second.
@@thatsci-firogue thanks Rogue! Yeah, I agree with you on the exploration of grief. It definitely approaches it well. Tehanu is awesome! I really want to reread the whole cycle. I’ll take a look at the other two books given we have such similar tastes.
@@bookswithzara I'd be interested to see your thoughts on them. 2nd half of the Ritual was a little ridiculous but in a self-aware way and I'm really enjoying Memory, Sorrow & Thorn. It's more in line with what I was hoping WoT and FATF would be but much better written.
Congratulations and best of luck on your new blog!🙌😊 I really hope to get to more Russian Literature Classics next year! A shame «Sailing to Sarantium» did not hit with you, as it was my book of the year back in 2022: Crispin (while by all means a flawed man at best!) dealing with his loss and depression and find new inspiration, really struck a cord with me (as did the constant theme of GGK of keeping the flame of Civilization, Culture & Art alive), but I hear the majority favors book #2, «Lord of Emperors», so hopefully that one will be an improvement suits you better! How exciting to get the scoop on a new KJ Parker Trilogy, enjoy! 😄 As for myself, in October I read: Mary Shelley’s «Frankenstein» (Gothic Science Fiction, with illustrations by Bernie Wrightson: Breathtaking!) «The Land Leviathan» (A Nomad of the Time Streams» Trilogy #2) by Michael Moorcock (Multiverse/Alternative History/Time Travel Steampunk(?)😅) «Midnight Falcon» (Rigante #2) by David Gemmell (Heroic Fantasy/S&S) «The City» (City of Victory Trilogy #2) by Adrian Goldsworthy (Historical Military Fiction set during Emperor Trajan’s Campaigns) «The Power Broker» by Robert Caro (Political Biography/Investigative Journalism Classic, my Q4 long-read) My November TBR: «The Steel Tsar» (A Nomad of the Time Streams» Trilogy #3) by Michael Moorcock (Multiverse/Alternative History/Time Travel Steampunk(?)😅) «Lord of Light» by Roger Zelazny (Science Fantasy inspired by the Legend of Siddhartha Gautama/the Buddha) «The Fury of the Gods» (Bloodsworn Saga #3) by John Gwynne (Epic Fantasy inspired by Norse Mythology) «Dreaming the Eagle» («Boudica» #1) by Manda Scott (Historical Fiction about the Celtic British Queen and her Rebellion against the Romans) «The Wall» (City of Victory Trilogy #3) by Adrian Goldsworthy (Historical Military Fiction set during the building of Hadrian’s Wall) «The Power Broker» by Robert Caro (Political Biography/Investigative Journalism Classic, my Q4 long-read) Cheers! 😃
Thank you! How did you find Lord of Emperors? I'm intrigued by the Robert Caro series you're reading. I also really need to read Lord of Light, so please let me know how you get on with it. I've owned that book for so long. I also really want to read the Boudica series by Scott. I got all the books on kindle last year. Hope it's a good one!
@ Personally I prefered «StS» over «LoE» (the prologue alone in «StS» is downright exceptional i my eyes!), but it is another GGK great: Where as «StS» mostly follows Crispin over some months, «LoE» more lives up to the «Mosaic» part, featuring more POVs over a shorter period of a few days. Yeah, can highly recommend the «99% Invisible» Podcast readalong, especially the first episode with an interview of Caro himself: Amazing to have such a scholar and man of integrity still alive to the story and his work behind it with such clarity and vitality, 50 years after the book was published! Will do! 😃
Happy 😃 birthday 🎁 for the month of November tbr list weather your giveaway is international or not prayers and blessings for you and your family love your Aussie family friend John ❤❤❤
I finished DoaS yesterday and I LOVED IT. I've ordered a few of his others plays as well, including The Crucible. I agree that Assassin's Quest was too long. It really did drag in a few places and felt repetitive. She could have cut about 20-30% of it and I don't think it would have impacted the overall story. "Have you ever read a book that you felt the author wrote for you personally?" thankfully, I've had this experience a few times this year alone. There's something really special about reading a book that speaks to your soul. I'd even consider Death of a Salesman to fall into this bucket tbh. Do you think I'd like The Fisherman? I really need to read Between Two Fires at some point. I've had the book for years.
Sounds all good! Will be interested on your take of Lord of Emperors. I think I enjoyed Sailing a bit more than you but I agree with the mid part in that I wouldn't rank it among the best of his I've read, but not the worst. I'm reading Belly of the Bow right now, the 2nd book in K.J. Parker's Fencer trilogy! Have you read those yet?
I've heard LoE is generally preferred to the first one so I'm hoping it'll be a better experience. I haven't no! I own all the books but I've got some of his other books I want to prioritise first. How are you finding it?
@@bookswithzara LoE's all the payoff for StS, so they're not wrong, lol. They're great! Some chaotic enjoyment there. I haven't read too much K.J. (fixing that next year!), only The Folding Knife and The Company, but this is very much in keeping with his style.
Congrats again on setting up your blog, I have been loving reading some of your first writings. It's really not fair how many exceptional skills you have, leave some talent left for us thank you please 🤣❤
Anyway, looking forward to the Assassin's Quest review. And I really need to re-read Fireborne to finally binge out the series, that is indeed a remarkable YA fantasy! Hope you enjoy whatever you get up to in November, cheers 🥰
Thanks so much, Esmay. I'm so glad to hear you've been enjoying it so far ❤
Have you only read Fireborne or have you read the second one too? What's on your list to read in Nov?
@@bookswithzara I have only read Fireborne but it was during exam season and I retained literally nothing of it lol
Anyway, I am prepping for the release of Wind & Truth because I can't resist the hype so I am doing a big last-minute stomrlight reread. Aside from that, gonna do two of the SPFBOX titles for judge duties and just started my re-read of Exhalation by Ted Chiang which is absolutely one of the best short story collections out there!
Great review of books!!
I saw the movie Silence, however, I purchased "The Samurai" because of your review.
I think the setting of Samurais in what is now modern-day Mexico is very interesting!
Thanks! Hope you enjoy The Samurai :)
Could've sworn I left another comment on here but oh well. Congrats on the blog!
I loved Sailing to Sarantium but hopefully Lord of Emperors lands with you. I really appreciated grief as a theme especially early on as I'd lost a family member while I was reading it.
Ursula K LeGuin's Tehanu (Earthsea 4) was my favourite read of October but Williams' Stone of Farewell and Adam Nevill's The Ritual came very close, though with the Ritual I was much more creeped out and intimidated by the first half than I was the second.
@@thatsci-firogue thanks Rogue!
Yeah, I agree with you on the exploration of grief. It definitely approaches it well.
Tehanu is awesome! I really want to reread the whole cycle. I’ll take a look at the other two books given we have such similar tastes.
@@bookswithzara I'd be interested to see your thoughts on them. 2nd half of the Ritual was a little ridiculous but in a self-aware way and I'm really enjoying Memory, Sorrow & Thorn. It's more in line with what I was hoping WoT and FATF would be but much better written.
❤️
I found Sailing to Sarantium to be pretty mid as well, but the second book became a favorite - can't wait to hear your thoughts on it.
Ohh good to know! I'm hoping it'll be a good experience. Watch this space!
Congratulations and best of luck on your new blog!🙌😊
I really hope to get to more Russian Literature Classics next year!
A shame «Sailing to Sarantium» did not hit with you, as it was my book of the year back in 2022: Crispin (while by all means a flawed man at best!) dealing with his loss and depression and find new inspiration, really struck a cord with me (as did the constant theme of GGK of keeping the flame of Civilization, Culture & Art alive), but I hear the majority favors book #2, «Lord of Emperors», so hopefully that one will be an improvement suits you better!
How exciting to get the scoop on a new KJ Parker Trilogy, enjoy! 😄
As for myself, in October I read:
Mary Shelley’s «Frankenstein» (Gothic Science Fiction, with illustrations by Bernie Wrightson: Breathtaking!)
«The Land Leviathan» (A Nomad of the Time Streams» Trilogy #2) by Michael Moorcock (Multiverse/Alternative History/Time Travel Steampunk(?)😅)
«Midnight Falcon» (Rigante #2) by David Gemmell (Heroic Fantasy/S&S)
«The City» (City of Victory Trilogy #2) by Adrian Goldsworthy (Historical Military Fiction set during Emperor Trajan’s Campaigns)
«The Power Broker» by Robert Caro (Political Biography/Investigative Journalism Classic, my Q4 long-read)
My November TBR:
«The Steel Tsar» (A Nomad of the Time Streams» Trilogy #3) by Michael Moorcock (Multiverse/Alternative History/Time Travel Steampunk(?)😅)
«Lord of Light» by Roger Zelazny (Science Fantasy inspired by the Legend of Siddhartha Gautama/the Buddha)
«The Fury of the Gods» (Bloodsworn Saga #3) by John Gwynne (Epic Fantasy inspired by Norse Mythology)
«Dreaming the Eagle» («Boudica» #1) by Manda Scott (Historical Fiction about the Celtic British Queen and her Rebellion against the Romans)
«The Wall» (City of Victory Trilogy #3) by Adrian Goldsworthy (Historical Military Fiction set during the building of Hadrian’s Wall)
«The Power Broker» by Robert Caro (Political Biography/Investigative Journalism Classic, my Q4 long-read)
Cheers! 😃
Thank you!
How did you find Lord of Emperors?
I'm intrigued by the Robert Caro series you're reading. I also really need to read Lord of Light, so please let me know how you get on with it. I've owned that book for so long. I also really want to read the Boudica series by Scott. I got all the books on kindle last year. Hope it's a good one!
@ Personally I prefered «StS» over «LoE» (the prologue alone in «StS» is downright exceptional i my eyes!), but it is another GGK great: Where as «StS» mostly follows Crispin over some months, «LoE» more lives up to the «Mosaic» part, featuring more POVs over a shorter period of a few days.
Yeah, can highly recommend the «99% Invisible» Podcast readalong, especially the first episode with an interview of Caro himself: Amazing to have such a scholar and man of integrity still alive to the story and his work behind it with such clarity and vitality, 50 years after the book was published!
Will do! 😃
Happy 😃 birthday 🎁 for the month of November tbr list weather your giveaway is international or not prayers and blessings for you and your family love your Aussie family friend John ❤❤❤
Thanks John! Take care :)
@ no problem 😉 will try to
I 100% understand when an author consumes you and it's all you want to read. 😅
Another awesome video!
I too thought Assassin's Quest was too long but ngl I'm loving To Green Angel Tower
I finished DoaS yesterday and I LOVED IT. I've ordered a few of his others plays as well, including The Crucible.
I agree that Assassin's Quest was too long. It really did drag in a few places and felt repetitive. She could have cut about 20-30% of it and I don't think it would have impacted the overall story.
"Have you ever read a book that you felt the author wrote for you personally?" thankfully, I've had this experience a few times this year alone. There's something really special about reading a book that speaks to your soul. I'd even consider Death of a Salesman to fall into this bucket tbh.
Do you think I'd like The Fisherman? I really need to read Between Two Fires at some point. I've had the book for years.
@@bookswithzara Yeah I think you'd enjoy both lol both horror but very different from one another so you get a different experience from each
Sounds all good! Will be interested on your take of Lord of Emperors. I think I enjoyed Sailing a bit more than you but I agree with the mid part in that I wouldn't rank it among the best of his I've read, but not the worst.
I'm reading Belly of the Bow right now, the 2nd book in K.J. Parker's Fencer trilogy! Have you read those yet?
I've heard LoE is generally preferred to the first one so I'm hoping it'll be a better experience.
I haven't no! I own all the books but I've got some of his other books I want to prioritise first. How are you finding it?
@@bookswithzara LoE's all the payoff for StS, so they're not wrong, lol.
They're great! Some chaotic enjoyment there. I haven't read too much K.J. (fixing that next year!), only The Folding Knife and The Company, but this is very much in keeping with his style.