Book #193 of 2018: Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor (Strange the Dreamer #1) I love this book, and I think my review from when I first read it in 2017 still stands: “A gorgeously-written fantasy novel about a boy raised in a library, who spends his early life chasing down obscure references to the …
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Book #183 of 2018: A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership by James Comey I read this book earlier in the year, but I wanted to refresh my memory before my book club discusses it on Monday. My original review, reposted below, still stands: — Former FBI Director Jim Comey is a polarizing public figure, …
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Book #180 of 2018: Red Seas Under Red Skies by Scott Lynch (Gentleman Bastard #2) Plotwise, this sequel is an unfortunate step down from author Scott Lynch’s brilliant debut, The Lies of Locke Lamora. Whereas that earlier fantasy crime novel effortlessly weaves its various strands into one compelling whole, this follow-up spends a third of …
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Book #174 of 2018: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J. K. Rowling (Harry Potter #2) The first Harry Potter book was a tremendous debut, but this sequel surpasses it on just about every level. The plot, the characters, and the setting are all delivered far more confidently this time around, and author …
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Book #162 of 2018: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J. K. Rowling (Harry Potter #1) It’s a little hard for me to be objectively critical about the Harry Potter books, which, although not my first introduction to children’s fantasy literature, were nevertheless a formative and beloved part of my childhood. Still, I’ve always …
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Book #157 of 2018: The Dark Tower by Stephen King (The Dark Tower #7) In 1999, Stephen King was struck by a van and nearly killed, directly inspiring the author to resume and finish the Dark Tower series he had been working on intermittently since 1970. King would ultimately write these last three novels in …
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Book #149 of 2018: The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch (Gentleman Bastard #1) Over a decade and countless rereads later, this long-time favorite of mine is still an incredible read. It’s an Ocean’s Eleven or Mission: Impossible style heist story crossed with a Godfather-esque tale of honor-bound criminal vengeance, all set in a …
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Book #146 of 2018: Song of Susannah by Stephen King (The Dark Tower #6) The Dark Tower series really requires readers to get on its wavelength of mystical intuition and fated coincidence, which is usually not a problem for me when there’s enough weird science magic and post-apocalyptic western worldbuilding on display. This sixth book, …
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Book #112 of 2018: Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury I like to revisit this 1953 dystopian classic at least once a decade or so, and I inevitably find it richer and deeper whenever I do. Author Ray Bradbury has packed an incredible amount of ideas into such a slim volume, and although the overall thrust …
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Book #102 of 2018: Wolves of the Calla by Stephen King (The Dark Tower #5) The flashback-centric Wizard and Glass is my favorite novel in Stephen King’s epic Dark Tower sequence, but I’m willing to entertain arguments that this next book is its best. The setting has been firmly established at this point, and King …
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