Two more days to go before the end of the year and I still have 8 more books to review from this year, most being books that I read earlier this year when I wasn't doing immediate reviews.
Hence, today, I shall do 4 of them, probably more quickly than I would normally like.
The Alloy of Law
Brandon Sanderson
This is my last book read this year, finished last night. For those who may have read the "Mistborn" trilogy, this book is set on the same world, but 300 years later. At first I wondered if it would be too similar to those novels, but no, this is a fresh book.
The story centers around a country lawman, Waxillium Ladrian, who returns to the city to inherit his title as one of the city's nobles. Soon he finds that corruption has followed him there, only now he's supposed to leave it to the inept constables. Can he leave his lawman days behind him? or is he the lawman needed now to save the city from a group of bandits called "The Vanishers?"
The story is complex and twisting in its own right, but, as before, one of the elements that makes this novel stand out is the integration of Sanderson's original fantasy ideas into the world in which this story takes place. In this world, there are certain people who can use certain metals for special abilities. Wax is a rare "Twinborn" who can both "Push" on metal objects as well as make his body lighter and heavier at will. Others also have abilities and the use of these abilities makes for unique action sequences and clever solutions to difficult problems.
This book is good as a stand-alone novel as well, even if it does end with a strong hint of more to come. I'm also glad that a sequel has been announced because Sanderson is a strong writer and I look forward to reader much more by him.
Overall, I loved the book. If you come to this book expecting it to be exactly like the "Mistborn" trilogy, it's not and it's not meant to be. It helps to have read the previous novels, if only to get a better understanding for the world in which it takes place, but this books explains what it needs to explain and it is still very enjoyable. I recommend it for anyone loving well thought out fantasy that is also thought provoking.
The Wounded Land
Stephen R. Donaldson
I read this book back in February, I believe, or somewhere around there so my recollection won't be perfect on the plot.
This story revolves around two main characters: Thomas Covenant, a mysterious reclusive leper, and Linden Avery, a doctor new in town who doesn't know of Covenant's past, but soon gets mixed up in it. Soon, both are transported to The Land, a world Covenant has visited before, only now it is a bleak and downtrodden place where Covenant must seek a way to right what has gone wrong and return the two of them safely home.
This is a dense book. That's how I describe books that are rich with their vocabulary at the cost of slowing down the narrative. The world is very well built and the plot is terrific, but it takes time to get through because it takes time to understand both the new vocab introduced by the author because of the strange would they are in and also just the vocab that is more difficult.
That being said, this is a very good book with complex characters and complex themes. You worry for the characters and what may happen to them.
This is the 1st book in the 2nd trilogy of Thomas Covenant; I've skipped the 1st trilogy because I was worried whether I would like them or not due to Covenant being less of a hero and more of an anti-hero especially at first. Prior knowledge isn't really required as the previous novels are summed up quickly before the novel starts and is also explained within the novel.
I still need to finish this trilogy, but this book left me wanting to finish it, so that is positive. The only thing that holds me back is knowing that it will take more time than perhaps other books.
Landscape at the End of the Century
Stephen Dunn
This is a poetry book and a very enjoyable one at that. Dunn is a poet that makes poetry accessible and likes to talk about everyday situations. In his poems, he finds insights in seemingly simple things. As a poet, I feel I have a lot to learn from him and I believe I revisited his poetry often.
What more can I say? If you love poetry, give him a try.
Delights and Shadows
Ted Kooser
Another poetry book read earlier this year. Kooser is another down to earth poet who finds inspiration in everyday things and expresses his feelings, thoughts, and viewpoints in ways that are easily accessible. I loved this collection and I hope to learn a lot by reviewing these poems.
Again, what more can I say than this: if you love poetry, read this.
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