Howdy,
Like many writers out there, I read quite a bit, and I have a massive backlog of books to read. Here are a few highlights from my ever-growing backlog.
Okay, okay, I’m currently reading this book. My impression...hmmm, ambivalent? It's certainly not a bad book, but it's not great IMO either. There are tons to like––pacing on a scene-by-scene basis is top-notch––I mean, the story moves along at a good clip
without being too fast and never slow––the sardonic "been there, killed that" narrator is amusing and sometimes even funny. The story has an appealing plotline about old geezers getting the mercenary band back together to save a wayward daughter. I have two issues: most of the characters, in one way or another, feel like stock fantasy archetypes, and the pacing of the overall story is glacial––half the book (or more) is concerned with bringing the band back together. It sort of feels like a heist movie when all the crooks with special abilities are recruited. Personally, I rarely find those movies appealing. Still, the jury is out on this novel. A real whizbang finale might win me over.
Anyway, the reason why this book made it on my to-read list is that I overheard coworkers discussing it in supremely favorable terms.
I want to read this book because The Rage of Dragons, the sequel in the series, is simply awesome. It is easily one of the best high fantasies I've read in years, with exceptional characterization, great world-building, and some of the best action sequences I have ever read.
After reading the fantastic Null States, the penultimate installment of the Centenel Cycle, State Tectonics soared to just about the peak of my to-read list. Older's novels are fast-paced, fascinating, and at times, downright spooky with near-future plotlines that could be ripped from today's headlines.
Seraphina and Shadow Scale have had a significant impact on my YA writing. I absolutely adore these books, and I have been looking forward to reading Tess on the Road for months. Honestly, I just need to read the freaking book; I know it will be amazing!
That’s it this installment of my to-read list. There might be more in the future; I just don't know yet. In the meantime, I plan to keep on reading and writing. I hope you do too.