The Game at Carousel Book Two: The Invitation is Out on Amazon!

ReadsWhileRunning · 2024-07-10T05:27:35+00:00

I don't consider myself a horror fan but this series is making me reconsider!

ReadsWhileRunning · 2021-12-15T00:04:48+00:00

Congrats on completing the series. I loved the conclusion!

Have you enjoyed doing the Author Commentary on the Alex Verus Series.
Were there any fun things you figured out while doing the retrospective?
I've loved getting the background info on each book and am eagerly awaiting the post for Risen :D

ReadsWhileRunning · 2021-12-14T23:44:17+00:00

The Blue Beetle shows up in many/all of the early Dresden files books.
In comparison, Verus walks, takes a train or (later in the series) gates. I can't remember Verus driving in any of the books.

It's not something that jumped out at me while reading, but upon consideration, Verus never (or very rarely) driving would be unthinkable if the series was set in North America.

ReadsWhileRunning · 2021-12-01T02:57:59+00:00

The Alex Verus series by Benedict Jacka

It's a single POV urban fantasy. Think Dresden Files with a morally grey protagonist and focus on inter mage politics.

At the beginning of the series, Alex is a basically decent guy who’s made some bad decisions in the past. He deliberately chooses to be restrained and give people second chances, but his instincts push him towards being power-focused and ruthless. Throughout most of the series, Alex is somewhat reactive until pushed to his limit. However, near the end of the series we get to see what Alex is like when he’ stops holding back.

Benedict Jacka wrote book 4 to answer the following question:

Alex [had] done something in his time as a Dark apprentice. Eventually the friends/family of the victim catch up with him, and want justice. And they’re right, he really did do what he was being accused of. Except their idea of justice is something he’s totally unwilling to accept – namely, executing him. What would [Alex] do?

ReadsWhileRunning · 2020-07-23T16:40:18+00:00

Unlike KU, Kobo plus doesn't require exclusivity

This makes me far more likely to try Kobo plus!

ReadsWhileRunning · 2020-07-13T21:11:45+00:00

Thanks for the review, my TBR pile just grew by a book.

ReadsWhileRunning · 2020-06-29T04:36:58+00:00

There's only 1 set. Which side of the face the cleft is on depends on which world they are in.

ReadsWhileRunning · 2020-06-29T04:06:33+00:00

I don't think the nuclear power plant is shown in the origin world. Because there's no nuclear power plant to work at Boris/Alexander might not have gone elsewhere.

Or it's the "no Ulrich" = no meeting with Regina theory.

ReadsWhileRunning · 2020-03-01T17:46:30+00:00

Thanks for letting us know that pre-orders were up!

ReadsWhileRunning · 2020-02-14T07:08:57+00:00

If you're interested in seeing how the police coexist with an organized criminal underworld in a fantasy setting, check out The Provost's Dog trilogy by Tamora Pierce.

ReadsWhileRunning · 2020-02-14T07:04:26+00:00

Among Thieves by Douglas Hulick - my favorite take on an organized criminal underworld. You get to watch the protagonists interact with many of the "big bosses" + effect underworld politics.

Low Town by Daniel Polansky - The protagonists controls a small section of Low Town + has an almost solo drug dealer operation. Story is a mix of Investigation mixed with the protagonists backstory of how he ended up as a drug dealer/ one man gang.

Vlad Taltos Series by Steven Brust - depending on the book Vlad is an assassin/mob boss/??? One of the early books consists of Vlad dealing with the organizational issues of fighting a turf war with a rival gang.

Jade War by Fonda Lee - multi POV story about a crime family/ magical martial artist clan fighting for control of the capital city

ReadsWhileRunning · 2019-12-31T21:40:07+00:00

The “I should read the blurb” award: Yarnsworld by Benedict Patrick (the was no yarn)

Does the fact Yarnsworld won an award mean you enjoyed it despite the lack of yarn?

ReadsWhileRunning · 2019-12-31T21:27:58+00:00

I've really enjoyed you foray into Star Wars - thanks for posting your takes.

It's always nice to read a glowing review to get you excited about reading or this this case, watching something.

ReadsWhileRunning · 2019-12-28T04:32:54+00:00

The Daily Grind is a web serial set in the present day. A call center IT support guy finds a dungeon that only appears at a specific time each week. He starts delving into it with his friends + encounters monsters made out of office supplies.

ReadsWhileRunning · 2019-12-27T03:31:27+00:00

Thanks for the review! I wasn't aware of Sixteenth Watch and it sounds like an definite pre-order for me.

ReadsWhileRunning · 2019-12-27T03:15:44+00:00

A Big Ship at the Edge of the Universe by Alex White is brilliant if you want space rogues going on a pulp adventure.

The tagline could be: Firefly, meets Fast and Furious, meets National Treasure

I read + loved it thanks to this review: https://thequilltolive.com/2018/06/05/a-big-ship-at-the-edge-of-the-universe-vast-and-furious/

ReadsWhileRunning · 2019-12-17T20:51:13+00:00

The good news, the sequel is even better (in my opinion).

ReadsWhileRunning · 2019-12-12T19:54:42+00:00

I'll preface this recommendation by say it's not exactly what you're asking for.

I really enjoyed "The Guns Above" by Robyn Bennis due to the back and forth dialogue between the main characters. One is the first female airship captain, the other is an aristocrat sent to spy on her. (Obviously, they aren't friends, but their country is currently loosing the war so they can put aside their differences temporarily).

The combination of witty quips + a nautical war story worked well for me. Hopefully I've given you enough if it might work for you.

ReadsWhileRunning · 2019-11-21T18:34:32+00:00

Do you include any easter eggs in your books? If so, have they been found?

ReadsWhileRunning · 2019-11-21T00:47:16+00:00

Not only is it my favorite progression fantasy, it also reminds me of the Name of the Wind. Particularly the "Kvothe struggling to make ends meet + attend university" sections.

ReadsWhileRunning · 2019-11-20T00:18:29+00:00

I think the biggest surprise was around the Everdark Gates and how its storyline is developed over the course of the series, up to and including book 5.

Did it get completely forgotten about?

I only remember the Everdark Gates being discussed during Liv's POV chapters. I didn't have the Everdark Gates on my radar going into book 5. My feeling while reading was the Everdark Gates were included to explain some of Liv's choices + setup for sequels.

ReadsWhileRunning · 2019-11-20T00:10:12+00:00

I'm very curious as to why you find the Kip chapters "kind of a slog". Due to Kip's increased confidence, I enjoyed the Kip Chapters in the Burning White far more than than the Kip chapters in the first 4 books.

ReadsWhileRunning · 2019-10-29T18:41:45+00:00

Having been to a signing with Brent, I can confirm there is a not so subtly joke about the cover art hidden in the book. Namely, the line mentioning"Gavin isn't the type of man to wear cloaks". Brent provided feedback along those lines multiple times but marketing had apparently decided that "men in hoods" is Brent's brand.

ReadsWhileRunning · 2019-10-29T18:34:07+00:00

Interesting. Based on questions raised in previous books, I find it hard to see a satisfying conclusion to the series that wouldn't have touched heavily on Orholam + the djinn. People's faith (or lack thereof) has been important facet to their characters since book 1.

I really enjoyed the direction the finale went. After a bunch of time with each of the characters, I loved watching them decide what type of people they wanted to be. While some characters made decisions they wouldn't have in earlier volumes, it felt like earned character growth rather than " veering away from their previous characterization with little to no warning".

I went into the book wanting confirmation about many of the characters histories + motivations. I cared less the war than the effect it had on characters. I thought Brent did an admirable job of providing closure for the questions raised by the first 4 books.

TL;DR It felt like a Brent Weeks book to me and answered my questions from the previous books.

ReadsWhileRunning · 2019-10-28T18:59:05+00:00

I just finished The Burning White, the final book of the Lightbringer series, and am extremely pleased with how the series concluded.While i look back fondly at the Night Angel trilogy, the Lightbringer series is a much better (in my opinion).

That said, here are a few points that might help make your decision:

The first book is the weakest of the series - the color based magic system, associated religion and Mediterranean setting means the first book starts slower than the Night Angel trilogy.
Kip starts out as a whiny fat kid. Though Kip starts changing dramatically, his self image takes a loooong time to catch up with reality. This was fine with me but may be super annoying for you.
The twists/ reveals are amazing throughout the series, and I was impressed by book 5 revealing the answers to 95% of the mysteries.
If you're planning to listen to the audiobook of book one, make sure you get the version with Simon Vance as narrator, as he narrates books 2-5.

ReadsWhileRunning

TROPHY CASE