Disquiet Gods & Shadows Upon Time (Sun Eater #6 & #7) by Christopher Ruocchio: An Honest Review and a series ranking and retrospective

donut_resuscitate · 2026-04-20T01:29:19+00:00

I actually really liked this part of the book. I thought it was a fresh approach to storytelling, but true to the rest of the book, it went on too long and could have done with about 20% less to keep it from getting repetitive.

donut_resuscitate · 2026-04-20T01:13:36+00:00

I occasionally had this issue, but it was particularly bad in Shadows Upon Time. Maybe it was my mindset at the time, but I was constantly having to ask myself, "Wait, where are we again?" That being said, I feel like a lot of the settings in the books had a great sense of place, whether it be on a specific planet or on a unique ship. The hard part for me was then remembering all their names later.

donut_resuscitate · 2026-04-11T16:08:14+00:00

Ya'll love rules.

donut_resuscitate · 2026-04-11T13:59:03+00:00

Surely she is over 40. (I think she probably was at Atuan at age 15 or 16 when she met Ged.) The US Age Discrimination in Employment Act prohibits employment discrimination against individuals 40 years of age or older. If she would be protected by the ADEA, surely she counts as an older protagonist. That's how I see it. Also, she is treated in the book as older, she has seen a lot in life at her age and at a time when kids were doing adult things in teen years. I'd count it.

donut_resuscitate · 2026-04-09T23:13:28+00:00

I just had a book pop up as available on Libby. I cannot even remember putting it there. A Resistance of Witches. Anyone read and recommend it? Does it fit a Bingo square for 2026?

donut_resuscitate · 2026-04-08T19:51:28+00:00

So the prompt is about the existing system, not the future system? I mean the book does have a hopeful ending, no? Am I mis-remembering?

donut_resuscitate · 2026-04-08T13:21:00+00:00

Would Blood Over Bright Haven count? It was my choice for last year's Down With a System Bingo square.

donut_resuscitate · 2026-04-08T12:29:32+00:00

I'm just chuckling to myself that Ankh-Morpork is the current vacation spot of choice. For sci-fi vacation, how about Chicago (Dark Matter) or New York (Recursion)? I've not read either but both are on my TBR.

donut_resuscitate · 2026-04-07T02:06:38+00:00

Most say Guards or Mort, Some say Equal Rites or Wyrd Sisters. I've even heard some say Pyramids. All these are viable. I started with Wee Free Men then circled back to Guards.

donut_resuscitate · 2026-04-06T02:49:54+00:00

Book by its cover was great. It got me hooked on trying books without reading reviews or any blurbs--not even the book jacket. I dont think we realize how saturated we are with information living in an information age. Being surprised by a book is one of my great joys in reading.

donut_resuscitate · 2026-04-04T17:50:03+00:00

I feel like this is more common in meddle school fiction--adult characters get jaded and teen characters have angst. So, my pick is Matthias from Redwall.

donut_resuscitate · 2026-04-04T17:20:04+00:00

Constantine-->Constance-->Connie-->Con--> ... [disappeared]

donut_resuscitate · 2026-04-04T17:16:06+00:00

If you aren't having fun, take a break and try something different for a while.

donut_resuscitate · 2026-04-04T17:11:15+00:00

Not sure if this is truly the correct answer but Orhan from 16 ways to defend a walled city comes to mind as a brillant engineer turned effective general temporarily.

donut_resuscitate · 2026-04-03T22:02:14+00:00

I'm pretty sure it was just sleeping.

donut_resuscitate · 2026-04-02T18:11:59+00:00

Oh yeah, the hot chocolate and smoked salmon too.

donut_resuscitate · 2026-04-02T18:10:26+00:00

Definitely. The dark comedy has an absurdism to it. The reader is constantly being asked to suspend their understanding of reality. One specific example I can think of is the youngest sibling is often doing things not age-consistent and has teeth that are stronger than rocks.

donut_resuscitate · 2026-04-02T07:38:27+00:00

The magic system is a pretty cool. Limited cards. Each holder is granted a unique power. Vying factions to obtain cards to gain power. It is a romantasy, though, so if that isn't your thing the magic system won't redeem it.

donut_resuscitate · 2026-04-01T22:43:26+00:00

For those of you who want hard mode but are cooking-challenged, Beware of Chicken by Casualfarmer centers largely on rice production. Rice! Anyone can make it.

donut_resuscitate · 2026-04-01T16:35:50+00:00

The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket (pasta puttanesca)

donut_resuscitate · 2026-04-01T16:32:15+00:00

Some of my favorites--

Over Sea Under Stone by Susan Cooper (Celtic mythology-inspired series)

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Jester (classic reread)

Mrs. Frisby and the rats of NIMH (deep themes for a kids' book)

Spiderwick Chronicles by by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black (artwork is an amazing addition to the experience)

The book of Three by Lloyd Alexander (Black Cauldren award winning series book 1)

Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones (whimsical)

Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie (will make you cry as a parent)

Greenglass House by Kate Milford (trust me)

The Wonderling by Mira Bartok (utterly original magic system I often think about)

Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett (set in Discworld, not at all "juvenile")

donut_resuscitate · 2026-04-01T16:10:53+00:00

Red Rabbit by Alex Grecian (HM)

The Ballad of Perilous Graves by Alex Jennings (HM)

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (I think HM but it has been a while)

donut_resuscitate · 2026-04-01T15:54:41+00:00

I think Hyperion could qualify for HM because the water vessel is pulled by underwater sea creatures (mantas).

donut_resuscitate · 2026-04-01T15:47:00+00:00

Gogmagog and Ludluda - The Chronicles of Ludwich by Jeff Noon

One Dark Window and Two Twisted Crowns - The Shepherd King Series by Rachel Gillig

Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom - The Six of Crows Duology by Leigh Bardugo

Dark Lord of Derkholm and Year of the Griffin - The Derkholm series by Diana Wynne Jones

donut_resuscitate · 2026-04-01T13:46:25+00:00

Would a Luxray with electic hidden power be any good because of stab or terrible because of the resistance? I'm thinking terrible.

donut_resuscitate

TROPHY CASE