It's been a while since i read through the entire thing, but i feel like the conclusion is nothing special (and i'm saying this with love, this is my favorite book series!). More of a situation where it's all about the journey, not the destination, i would say.
P djeli Clark always seems to know exactly how long the story should go and there’s not a wasted word. Their stories are always super tight with no fat on them.
Klara and the Sun is one of my favorite books. Klara herself is such a fabulous character, how she views the world and the everything she does to help the ones she cares for. Never let me go is also fantastic! I’m sure you will enjoy it. It is told very differently, but still very thought provoking.
A great month indeed! I agree about Ghost Story, Changes was just so intense that the only way the series could move forward was with a shift of pace and focus and Ghost Story does that in a brilliant way.
I’m actually really shocked to learn this was your first Ishiguro. I feel like he’s a no-brainer author for you, I would’ve assumed you already read his major works. Can’t wait for you to explore him, my favorite is cliche because I haven’t done many yet but it’s the remains of the day.
@@billyalarie929 ishiguro, not really to my knowledge. most of his books have the same/similar themes of reminiscing, regret, and realizing things weren’t what you thought. just due to when most of his more prevalent works were written, i’m sure it’s possible he’s got some not great stuff. but you might be thinking of murakami, who is a japanese author (ishiguro is japanese descent but fully british) and frequently portrays poor depictions of women, and is an author merphy has already openly stated she did not care for at all because of this.
I really enjoyed Ghost Story, probably one of my favorite Dresden books so far (haven't read Cold Days and beyond yet). The depiction of "actions have consequences" was really good. Slight spoilers . . . I particularly liked the whole part with and about Mortimer and the interactions he and Harry have towards the end. For one, Harry's treatment of Mort early on highlighted one of his flaws that makes him an interesting character, but also at times somewhat unlikeable: Harry hates bullies, but in one of the first books pretty much bullies Mort into working for him - he sometimes displays a self-righteous streak and fails to (in good faith) consider other perspectives and approaches than his own. Again, it makes him an interesting character and I think Harry's flaws are where Butcher really shows his strength in writing from a limited first person perspective. But after reading 13 novels in a matter of months, character attributes like this (and all the "snarling" ;)) have become a little grating sometimes. And the whole thing with Mort, especially towards the end, in this regard really tied in well with the theme of consequences for me. Harry is facing the biggest fallout yet from his actions post Changes - and still at some point he rushes ahead without properly considering alternatives or consequences and then does in a way mess up. But then he reflects on this very thing tied in with how he viewed Mort wrongly, so I'm hopeful he'll finally work on some of his more annnoying tendencies in the next books. Also, I'm a huge Star Trek fan and the scene with Molly was amazing. :D
I'm so so happy you are continuation your Zweig's bibliography!! I'm so excited to see you read why two faves (tho.. Chess is amazing!) really glad you enjoyed his writing. I can read German, tho I keep reading it in French my mothertongue because I have found the translation absolutely wonderful!
So I’m a Temeraire mega-fan who just reread bks 1-5 this year, and I think it’s a great stopping point to either wait a while to pick them back up or to just close the book on the series altogether. I kinda wish Novik had just stopped there and boldly left it on that strong note of them doing the right thing and getting exiled…cuz the series is really more about the two protagonists than it is about the war, so closure on the larger political plot isn’t necessary. Victory of Eagles closes the chapter on the first arc so well and leaves our protagonists in a satisfying place I thought with a bit of mystery how things are going to go for them, which if you’re ok with not knowing everything then ending here is perfect. I don’t think the second half of the series is nearly as strong as the first arc, and given how you’ve lost momentum with it I don’t think it’s gonna turn into something greater for you. I’d say you would probably be best served by leaving it there, though if you ever get in the mood to return for more adventures down the road you could pick back up anytime without worrying about losing details to memory since the next book is a true reset. You get to travel to a few new continents in the next bunch of books and you’d really need to be in the mood for that kind of travelogue to love them, but if you ever do return to them I think the series finale is quite strong and something to look forward to.
Even though "Dragons on the Napoleonic Wars" is a major draw for this series, I think it ultimately shackled Naomi Novik in the end. The best part about the Temeraire series was to see the way each culture ended up interacting with Dragons. However, the way it was executed ended up letting interesting ideas to the way side, in favor of keeping Lawrence and Temeraire tied to the war. Another issue was how much time the author wasted with endless travels and given the way she wrote characters and their interactions, it really made it hard to care about anyone other than Lawrence and Temeraire. Their personalities and views would be much better utilized by dealing with politics and intrigue, rather than roaming about.
@@LightningRaven42 yeah it's hard to argue with you there -- almost makes me wish the war arc was fully wrapped up with bk 5 and that she went in a completely different direction with the second arc just much more fully focused on mining the traveling aspect to deeply explore the different dragon/human cultures around the world.
Thank you so much for this! I think I’ll take a break then and if it draws me back to it I’ll continue on later. I really appreciate your perspective on this!
I LOVE Kazuo Ishiguro. The master of the unreliable narrator. Remains of the Day and Never Let Me Go are two of my favourite books ever. The Buried Giant maybe less so, but maybe I know too much about the subject to get fully lost in it.
Also Merphy, one of the authors of Mercy of The Goddess is Daniel Abraham and his fantasy series The Long Price Quartet is phenomenal!!!!!! Alen’s favourite btw
I remember loving Klara and the Sun when first reading, but forgotten so much of it, definitely need a re-read of it soon. I've only read one other Ishiguru, which was the Remains of the Day, which I didn't enjoy as much, but still such a thought provoking story. Need to read a bit more of his soon.
That’s the first time I’ve heard mercy of the gods described for a point where I can understand what I’m getting into 😂 seems like a reasonable expectation for me to have going in
I’m glad you liked Klara and the Sun! I wasn’t a fan of it despite loving introspective stories, I think I wasn’t expecting such a childlike lens but maybe rereading it with that in mind would be a better experience. I’m definitely interested in other Ishiguro books though!
Just found a copy of Klara and the Sun this weekend at the thrift bookstore and it was a sale weekend so I got it (hardcover and very good condition) for about a dollar😂💕😍
I would personally recommend book 6 of Temeraire, but that's mostly because i'm a HUGE fan of Tharkay, so you should definitely take that with a grain of salt u.u
Mike from mike's book reviews had a very similar take On the mercy of gods He also could not connect with any of the human characters And said he couldn't care less about their story And he also also like you Thought the aliens Pretty cool
Book 6 is definitely a slog, but book's 8 and 9 pick up a bit more. [mild spoilers] Even if the author chooses to waste a bit of time with Lawrence losing his memory for some reason (probably a heavy-handed approach to have a recap in the final books).
Hey Murphy, total non-sequitur, but do you have signed copied of the Gentleman Bastards books? Scott Lynch is GoH-ing a tiny book con here by me this weekend......
RE: Flat characters in The Mercy of Gods. It's weird because the character-work in The Expanse series is wonderful. It's one of the characteristics of their writing that I extol to others when recommending that series. I don't know what happened here. It's definitely a lost opportunity, but I can't wait to read the rest of this saga, regardless. They can always course correct.
I finished the Temeraire series a bit earlier this year. Overall, I think the series is worth the finish, but you should definitely take your time. Next book, Tongues of Serpents, is easily the weakest book in the series and it might discourage you from finishing it. The last books pick up a bit more, specially the last two. Personally, I didn't like the first half of the series as much as you did, Merphy, but I didn't dislike it enough to drop it. To me, the best part of these books were the varied dragon cultures and their relationship with humans in different societies, while everything else was pretty much a let down, being carried mostly by Temeraire and Lawrence's relationship. About the ending, while not insulting, it kinda fizzles out, so it might be wiser to get to the next books when you feel like it.
I know this a dumb question, but 14 books in, would you recommend fantasy readers in general to read Dresden? I always hesitate to do so, even though I really, really love it. The combination of some of the series' flaws, especially in the beginning, and how long it is makes me not be entirely sure about if I should recommend it or not. Also a bit sad that you didn't really fall for Mercy of Gods, because that probably means that you won't retry the Expanse. Please retry the Expanse (if you want ofc).
For a minute there I thought all the other month wrap ups by booktubers had titled their videos wrong as to what month it was. I'm reading Titan Hoppers (I'm on the 3rd book) by Rob J. Hayes. And it has surprised me as to character and writing quality for a YA. My feeling of Dead Cat Tails Assassins was that characters were introduced One Piece style. They dramatically appear, have something smart mouthed to say, and are over the top in appearance and powers. I am re-reading the first Dresden this week to see if I wish to continue. TEAM SWARM! I thought this would be tied for my favorite so far this year but no, Seasons Of Albadone still holds my top spot. I too found the "10 minutes into the future" civilization of Mercy of Gods a tad jarring. Hell, they got there is an advanced spacecraft. Did they not bring any technology down with them and then just stagnated for 3000 years?
> "I am re-reading the first Dresden this week to see if I wish to continue." If you're giving the series a new chance, I would like to impress upon you that Dresden's point of view is much more relevant to the narrative than the average Urban Fantasy protagonist. Butcher approaches Dresden's character as more than a vehicle to tell a straightforward story. Dresden's biases and flaws are there by design, specially the subversion of "hard-boiled detective" tropes and the use of noir elements. Dresden is an easy character to root for, but the way he describes women can definitely be grating and anyone in the fandom understands that. Don't worry, he's constantly challenged on that and the narrative itself acknowledges it (just think about the context of his first meeting with Karrin Murphy).
@@Montie-Adkins Yup. I just mention that, because many new readers take it at face value. Specially when they hear about it from those who didn't like the series. Thankfully, Merphy gets that, even though she doesn't excuse Dresden (or even Jim Butcher himself).
I had to FORCE myself to finish `The Mercy of Gods` and I loved the Expanse, read all of them in a month. This one was a massive disappointment, I don't think I'll be continuing that series
The human characters in The Mercy of Gods are terribly written. The aliens are worse, just in different ways. At least in The Dark Forest you don't actually get to see the aliens. Still ended up rooting for (some of) the aliens. 3.5 is very generous.
Just found a copy of Klara and the Sun this weekend at the thrift bookstore and it was a sale weekend so I got it (hardcover and very good condition) for about a dollar😂💕😍
I hope you're ready for Cold Days because after that nice little quiet introspection Butcher steps FULL on the gas again.
can't wait!
The conclusion of the Temeraire series is so worth it. Some books drag a bit, but worth it on the whole.
Really, i made it to South America and no longer cared. Felt like the same story different place again and again. might have to try.
It's been a while since i read through the entire thing, but i feel like the conclusion is nothing special (and i'm saying this with love, this is my favorite book series!). More of a situation where it's all about the journey, not the destination, i would say.
P djeli Clark always seems to know exactly how long the story should go and there’s not a wasted word. Their stories are always super tight with no fat on them.
Klara and the Sun is one of my favorite books. Klara herself is such a fabulous character, how she views the world and the everything she does to help the ones she cares for.
Never let me go is also fantastic! I’m sure you will enjoy it. It is told very differently, but still very thought provoking.
A great month indeed! I agree about Ghost Story, Changes was just so intense that the only way the series could move forward was with a shift of pace and focus and Ghost Story does that in a brilliant way.
I’m actually really shocked to learn this was your first Ishiguro. I feel like he’s a no-brainer author for you, I would’ve assumed you already read his major works. Can’t wait for you to explore him, my favorite is cliche because I haven’t done many yet but it’s the remains of the day.
Doesn’t he get into, er, unsavory subject matter at times?
I feel like that’s what I’ve heard, but I might actually be wrong.
@@billyalarie929 ishiguro, not really to my knowledge. most of his books have the same/similar themes of reminiscing, regret, and realizing things weren’t what you thought. just due to when most of his more prevalent works were written, i’m sure it’s possible he’s got some not great stuff. but you might be thinking of murakami, who is a japanese author (ishiguro is japanese descent but fully british) and frequently portrays poor depictions of women, and is an author merphy has already openly stated she did not care for at all because of this.
Clementines are the most interesting of fruits. They're like oranges but simple.
I really enjoyed Ghost Story, probably one of my favorite Dresden books so far (haven't read Cold Days and beyond yet). The depiction of "actions have consequences" was really good.
Slight spoilers
.
.
.
I particularly liked the whole part with and about Mortimer and the interactions he and Harry have towards the end. For one, Harry's treatment of Mort early on highlighted one of his flaws that makes him an interesting character, but also at times somewhat unlikeable: Harry hates bullies, but in one of the first books pretty much bullies Mort into working for him - he sometimes displays a self-righteous streak and fails to (in good faith) consider other perspectives and approaches than his own.
Again, it makes him an interesting character and I think Harry's flaws are where Butcher really shows his strength in writing from a limited first person perspective. But after reading 13 novels in a matter of months, character attributes like this (and all the "snarling" ;)) have become a little grating sometimes.
And the whole thing with Mort, especially towards the end, in this regard really tied in well with the theme of consequences for me. Harry is facing the biggest fallout yet from his actions post Changes - and still at some point he rushes ahead without properly considering alternatives or consequences and then does in a way mess up. But then he reflects on this very thing tied in with how he viewed Mort wrongly, so I'm hopeful he'll finally work on some of his more annnoying tendencies in the next books.
Also, I'm a huge Star Trek fan and the scene with Molly was amazing. :D
I'm so so happy you are continuation your Zweig's bibliography!! I'm so excited to see you read why two faves (tho.. Chess is amazing!) really glad you enjoyed his writing. I can read German, tho I keep reading it in French my mothertongue because I have found the translation absolutely wonderful!
So I’m a Temeraire mega-fan who just reread bks 1-5 this year, and I think it’s a great stopping point to either wait a while to pick them back up or to just close the book on the series altogether. I kinda wish Novik had just stopped there and boldly left it on that strong note of them doing the right thing and getting exiled…cuz the series is really more about the two protagonists than it is about the war, so closure on the larger political plot isn’t necessary.
Victory of Eagles closes the chapter on the first arc so well and leaves our protagonists in a satisfying place I thought with a bit of mystery how things are going to go for them, which if you’re ok with not knowing everything then ending here is perfect.
I don’t think the second half of the series is nearly as strong as the first arc, and given how you’ve lost momentum with it I don’t think it’s gonna turn into something greater for you. I’d say you would probably be best served by leaving it there, though if you ever get in the mood to return for more adventures down the road you could pick back up anytime without worrying about losing details to memory since the next book is a true reset. You get to travel to a few new continents in the next bunch of books and you’d really need to be in the mood for that kind of travelogue to love them, but if you ever do return to them I think the series finale is quite strong and something to look forward to.
Even though "Dragons on the Napoleonic Wars" is a major draw for this series, I think it ultimately shackled Naomi Novik in the end.
The best part about the Temeraire series was to see the way each culture ended up interacting with Dragons. However, the way it was executed ended up letting interesting ideas to the way side, in favor of keeping Lawrence and Temeraire tied to the war.
Another issue was how much time the author wasted with endless travels and given the way she wrote characters and their interactions, it really made it hard to care about anyone other than Lawrence and Temeraire. Their personalities and views would be much better utilized by dealing with politics and intrigue, rather than roaming about.
@@LightningRaven42 yeah it's hard to argue with you there -- almost makes me wish the war arc was fully wrapped up with bk 5 and that she went in a completely different direction with the second arc just much more fully focused on mining the traveling aspect to deeply explore the different dragon/human cultures around the world.
Thank you so much for this! I think I’ll take a break then and if it draws me back to it I’ll continue on later. I really appreciate your perspective on this!
Wow, Merphy is doing the wrap up for September? It’s one thing that you are trying to be more organized but this?😂
😂
I love Stefan Zweig so much, his short story Amok and a novel Beware of Pity imo are his best works, highly recommend
backing SoK kickstarter right now.... LOOKS AMAZING!!!!!!
it looks SO good!
FInally someone that talks about stories in a collection as an indipendent piece of literature, not treating them like a chapter in a book.
Never Let Me Go is the only book I enjoyed having to read for school! so good!
I LOVE Kazuo Ishiguro. The master of the unreliable narrator. Remains of the Day and Never Let Me Go are two of my favourite books ever. The Buried Giant maybe less so, but maybe I know too much about the subject to get fully lost in it.
I love Naomi Novik, after reading one of her books, I sought out everything else and devoured it all.
Also Merphy, one of the authors of Mercy of The Goddess is Daniel Abraham and his fantasy series The Long Price Quartet is phenomenal!!!!!! Alen’s favourite btw
I remember loving Klara and the Sun when first reading, but forgotten so much of it, definitely need a re-read of it soon. I've only read one other Ishiguru, which was the Remains of the Day, which I didn't enjoy as much, but still such a thought provoking story. Need to read a bit more of his soon.
That’s the first time I’ve heard mercy of the gods described for a point where I can understand what I’m getting into 😂 seems like a reasonable expectation for me to have going in
I’m glad you liked Klara and the Sun! I wasn’t a fan of it despite loving introspective stories, I think I wasn’t expecting such a childlike lens but maybe rereading it with that in mind would be a better experience. I’m definitely interested in other Ishiguro books though!
I want to read the dead cat assassin so badly - sounds amazing!!
I was really hoping to like Mercy of God's more. It enjoyed it but man the expanse was on anther level I feel.
Ok wraithmark's design on where loyalties lie looks amazing!!!
Right?!
How are you reading so many books, watching anime, reading manga, and making videos?
Admit it, you have a time turner!🧐
if ONLY!
Glad you had a great reading month in August! :) I did, too. I read 6 books, and only one was meh. The others were 4 and 5 stars
Just found a copy of Klara and the Sun this weekend at the thrift bookstore and it was a sale weekend so I got it (hardcover and very good condition) for about a dollar😂💕😍
I would personally recommend book 6 of Temeraire, but that's mostly because i'm a HUGE fan of Tharkay, so you should definitely take that with a grain of salt u.u
Mike from mike's book reviews had a very similar take On the mercy of gods He also could not connect with any of the human characters And said he couldn't care less about their story And he also also like you Thought the aliens Pretty cool
The Temeraire books definitely take a dip in quality after Victory of Eagle's. I struggled through the 6th book and DNF'd the 7th
Book 6 is definitely a slog, but book's 8 and 9 pick up a bit more.
[mild spoilers]
Even if the author chooses to waste a bit of time with Lawrence losing his memory for some reason (probably a heavy-handed approach to have a recap in the final books).
that's such a shame 😫
Hey Murphy, total non-sequitur, but do you have signed copied of the Gentleman Bastards books? Scott Lynch is GoH-ing a tiny book con here by me this weekend......
RE: Flat characters in The Mercy of Gods.
It's weird because the character-work in The Expanse series is wonderful. It's one of the characteristics of their writing that I extol to others when recommending that series. I don't know what happened here. It's definitely a lost opportunity, but I can't wait to read the rest of this saga, regardless. They can always course correct.
I finished the Temeraire series a bit earlier this year. Overall, I think the series is worth the finish, but you should definitely take your time.
Next book, Tongues of Serpents, is easily the weakest book in the series and it might discourage you from finishing it. The last books pick up a bit more, specially the last two.
Personally, I didn't like the first half of the series as much as you did, Merphy, but I didn't dislike it enough to drop it. To me, the best part of these books were the varied dragon cultures and their relationship with humans in different societies, while everything else was pretty much a let down, being carried mostly by Temeraire and Lawrence's relationship.
About the ending, while not insulting, it kinda fizzles out, so it might be wiser to get to the next books when you feel like it.
When you get to Battlegrounds for Dresden, I do recommend the audiobook. Marsters crushes it 🏚️
If you like Ishiguro, you should read the Unconsolded - SO good, I think You'll like it
Okay but when are you going to read Between Two Fires?!?!?😬
I read three books last month. I just got engaged. So my mind is focusing on wedding planning.😅
I know this a dumb question, but 14 books in, would you recommend fantasy readers in general to read Dresden? I always hesitate to do so, even though I really, really love it. The combination of some of the series' flaws, especially in the beginning, and how long it is makes me not be entirely sure about if I should recommend it or not.
Also a bit sad that you didn't really fall for Mercy of Gods, because that probably means that you won't retry the Expanse. Please retry the Expanse (if you want ofc).
For a minute there I thought all the other month wrap ups by booktubers had titled their videos wrong as to what month it was.
I'm reading Titan Hoppers (I'm on the 3rd book) by Rob J. Hayes. And it has surprised me as to character and writing quality for a YA.
My feeling of Dead Cat Tails Assassins was that characters were introduced One Piece style. They dramatically appear, have something smart mouthed to say, and are over the top in appearance and powers.
I am re-reading the first Dresden this week to see if I wish to continue.
TEAM SWARM! I thought this would be tied for my favorite so far this year but no, Seasons Of Albadone still holds my top spot. I too found the "10 minutes into the future" civilization of Mercy of Gods a tad jarring. Hell, they got there is an advanced spacecraft. Did they not bring any technology down with them and then just stagnated for 3000 years?
> "I am re-reading the first Dresden this week to see if I wish to continue."
If you're giving the series a new chance, I would like to impress upon you that Dresden's point of view is much more relevant to the narrative than the average Urban Fantasy protagonist.
Butcher approaches Dresden's character as more than a vehicle to tell a straightforward story. Dresden's biases and flaws are there by design, specially the subversion of "hard-boiled detective" tropes and the use of noir elements.
Dresden is an easy character to root for, but the way he describes women can definitely be grating and anyone in the fandom understands that. Don't worry, he's constantly challenged on that and the narrative itself acknowledges it (just think about the context of his first meeting with Karrin Murphy).
@@LightningRaven42 It seems that sex and noir or hard boiled detectives have always gone hand in hand.
@@Montie-Adkins Yup. I just mention that, because many new readers take it at face value. Specially when they hear about it from those who didn't like the series.
Thankfully, Merphy gets that, even though she doesn't excuse Dresden (or even Jim Butcher himself).
I had to FORCE myself to finish `The Mercy of Gods` and I loved the Expanse, read all of them in a month. This one was a massive disappointment, I don't think I'll be continuing that series
Im about 60% into Mercy of the Gods and im still not sure how i feel about it.
Humans being the same as modern humans even after 3,000 years on another planet would definitely make me rage-quit a book. 😅
Klara and the Sun is one that I have to disagree on. The writing was great, and I loved the concept....but I was mostly just bored reading it.
Have you read a series of unfortunate events?
You should check out the 30+ year series Forgotten Realm series from author RA Salvatore if you haven't.
❤
Woohoo! 1st! Besides the person who commented 4 hrs b4 me. Now to watch the video...
actually 3rd?
The human characters in The Mercy of Gods are terribly written. The aliens are worse, just in different ways. At least in The Dark Forest you don't actually get to see the aliens. Still ended up rooting for (some of) the aliens. 3.5 is very generous.
Just found a copy of Klara and the Sun this weekend at the thrift bookstore and it was a sale weekend so I got it (hardcover and very good condition) for about a dollar😂💕😍