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If we get to the point where we don’t help each other anymore, that’s when we stop being human: Reviewing Dungeon Crawler Carl (Book 1 of the Dungeon Crawler Carl Series) by Matt Dinniman

Hello everyone! I hope you are all doing well. Not that anyone asked, but I’ve been going through a weird time. There’s been some sad things, and some good things. All of these have happened in a short amount of time, so I’m still processing a lot. Things, however, are looking up. I wanted to read something a little more lighthearted to improve my mood just slightly. I also thought that you all might want to read a review about something not depressing. Dungeon Crawler Carl has been making the rounds on social media, so I decided to give it a fair shot. Now, it’s time to discuss the first book in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series.

Content Warning: Crude Humor, Strong Language, Cartoonish Violence

Carl isn’t having a good time. First, his girlfriend breaks up with him. Second, she leaves him with her prize-winning cat named Princess Donut. As if this doesn’t suck enough, then the Earth is attacked by aliens. The survivors of the attack must survive a deadly game of survival that’s being aired to wider galaxy. With nothing but his boxers and a fluffy cat, Carl must fight his way through enchanted traps and deadly creatures, all while trying to impress viewers and not get vaporized by the producers. Safe to say that this isn’t your typical game show.

Dungeon Crawler Carl is a fast-paced, action-packed, and humorous take on literary RPGs. This novel certainly stood out to me in many aspects. I appreciated the overall setup of the novel and its consistent tone. This is one of the few novels where infodumping was beneficial to the story. You don’t have to be familiar with RPGs to understand general mechanics of the story and Matt Dinniman takes the appropriate measures to ensure that the readers understand the world of the novel. My favorite part of the novel was Carl as the main character and narrator. His grounded and pragmatic demeanor helped provide an anchor in a novel full of absurd elements, like killer llamas and a talking cat. I enjoyed the expansive and unpredictable world of the novel. I like that I never knew what absurd thing would happen next. The novel is just absurd and silly enough, without distracting from the fact that this is a survival story. The only element that was really hit-or-miss for me was the humor. Humor is fully subjective. I’m not going to act like I’m above something crude, crass, or juvenile. With being said, the humor of the book didn’t do a lot for me. It was just a little too gross at times. It felt like something akin to South Park or Family Guy, which I find to be hit-or-miss. It was just a bit too gross for me personally. It wasn’t overly offensive, though, and toed the line without crossing it. My main reaction was to roll my eyes because I found it to be distinctly male, if that makes sense. I won’t let that draw away from my overall positive opinion about the book. At the end of the day, this was the ideal book I needed for an adventurous and fun escape. I can even see myself picking up the sequel in the future. If you need something absurd and energetic, then I will go ahead and recommend Dungeon Crawler Carl.

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I live in pain because pain is what the world gave me, and I am powerful with it: Reviewing Faithbreaker (Book 3 of the Fallen Gods Trilogy) by Hannah Kaner

Hi everyone! I hope you are doing well and staying warm if you live in a chilly area. Now is the best time to curl up with a good book, in my opinion. Before you read this review, feel free to checkout my review of the first two books, Godkiller and Sunbringer. It’s time to talk about the epic conclusion with Faithbreaker.

Content Warning: Violence, Intense Battle Scenes, Strong Language, Sexual Content, Animal Death

War has come to the continent of Middren. The fire god Hseth has a massive army of devoted followers who make her more powerful by the day. Only a powerful alliance can save the country. Elo reunites with his childhood friend and king, Arren. Their relationship, though, is still damaged by past betrayal. Elo and Arren must come to terms with the past in order to have a future. Meanwhile, Inara joins her mother on a mission to rekindle old alliances. When human alliances falter, she and Skediceth see if they can make peace with the gods and creates allies before the battle begins. Kissen, however, still has no alliances to people or gods. She does still have her family, but she must decide if she is willing to leave them once more to save them. Everything hangs in the balance and one battle will decide everyone’s fate.

Finales can be tricky things, but Hannah Kaner delivers a satisfying conclusion to her action-packed trilogy. It seems, to me, that it’s a rare thing to have a book series that is just the right length and doesn’t falter towards the end. Faithbreaker is a well-paced and cinematic novel. What I appreciated about this novel is how nothing felt gratuitous. There wasn’t too much swearing. The sex scenes weren’t overly explicit. The battle scenes weren’t too gory. Everything was just as it needed to be in the end. It was maybe a tad on the predictable side at times, but nothing that annoyed me as a reader. There were enough moments of tension that made the novel feel unpredictable to a degree and that was enough for me. As for the character arcs, I was overall satisfied with how the main characters reached the end of their development. Too often do writers try to throw in some random, out-of-character moments that are there for the sake of drama. Kaner, however, is nothing if not consistent in her literary craft. Overall, the Fallen Gods ended on a gratifying note with Faithbreaker. If you need a fun fantasy trilogy, then this is the first series to check out.

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I rip out his tongue to stop the lies. I stab out his eyes to hide from his gaze. You will be free: Reviewing Shadows of Self (Book 5 of the Mistborn Saga) by Brandon Sanderson

Hi everyone! Happy belated Thanksgiving to my fellow Americans. I promise I wasn’t intentionally avoiding reading or writing in this blog. You all know how it is. Life happens. Stuff gets in the way. Motivation is lost. I’m back, though, and have plenty more reviews for you before the end of the year. I just picked a lot of long books to read, which is part of the reason why I have been slow to post. That, however, is the past. It’s time to revisit the Mistborn Saga once more. Let’s talk about Shadows of Self.

Content Warning: Violence, Some Disturbing Imagery

Waxillium “Wax” Ladrian is forced to give up his life as a lawman in the Roughs after forsaking his responsibilities as the lord of his house for too long. He hardly imagined that life in the city would be exciting, but an assassination attempt on a prominent governor proves Wax wrong. Soon, the city of Elendel is thrust into turmoil as riots break out among the workers, and churches are attacked. The culprit? An ancient being who may be sent by God himself. It’s up to Wax, Wayne, and their recently befriended constable Marasi to figure out what’s happening before the city of Elendel is destroyed by its own people.

Brandon Sanderson surprises me with every single book I read. Just as I think I’m hitting a lull or thinking that the plot is predictable, Sanderson provides me with literary whiplash. I say all this with love. As someone who is a fan of action and adventure, the Mistborn Saga continuously delivers with all of the best elements of a genre that is usually hard to encapsulate. Shadows of Self stands out because of how it connects back to the original Mistborn trilogy. Sanderson isn’t afraid to question his own texts and the motives of his characters. Most authors wouldn’t want to deconstruct their worlds or let their characters look too imperfect, but Sanderson isn’t afraid to change the rules without completely demolishing everything he created. It feels like a natural progression in the story. This particular entry in the saga was more like a mystery, but that is what I ended up enjoying about Shadows of Self. In case you couldn’t tell, I have been really enjoying this series, and I am going to continue to recommend it to all of you.

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Love is a patient, exasperated emotion, and she knew it well: Reviewing Swordheart by T. Kingfisher

Hi everyone! Happy Fall! Well, it doesn’t feel like fall yet but that isn’t going to stop me from trying to participate in fall activities. I have my “spooky” book reviews coming soon and I know some of you are really looking forward to that. For now, I have some other things to talk about. This book will be my fifth review for a book by T. Kingfisher. I even have a sixth one ready to go. Feel free to check out my reviews of her other novels. Let’s talk about one of her latest: Swordheart.

Content Warning: Some Violence, Some Gore, Mild Sexual Content, Animal Death

Halla, a respectable widow, unexpectedly inherits her wealthy uncle’s estate. Unfortunately, she has to contend with her dead husband’s horrid family members who are determined to marry her off so they can have the estate. Halla decides the only sensible solution is to kill herself. The only tool she can find in her uncle’s estate that might do the trick is an ancient sword that was just laying around. When she unsheaths the sword, an immortal warrior named Sarkis appears and informs her that he is now her personal guard. Sarkis was not expecting his weilder to be a woman like Halla. He certainly wasn’t expecting to go on the run with her, fleeing from angry family members and murderous priests. As Sarkis and Hall grow closer, they must face dangers and figure out if there is a way to free him from the sword.

I’m going to be honest. I have often looked down upon “romantasy” as a genre because it always felt so formulaic and cliche. Leave it to T. Kingfisher to write a romantasy that I absolutely loved from beginning to end. The writing is earnest, humorous, and creative. I loved the world of this novel and the interesting fantasy elements. There were so many fun moments peppered throughout that made me smile. The romance, though, is the main feature of this novel and I loved every second of it. While there certainly were tropes, the novel didn’t rely on the tropes to make the romance happen. Sarkis and Halla had such great chemistry. I loved seeing them come closer together. I also loved that the relationship wasn’t perfect and they had to work through things to come together. They reminded me a lot of Wesley and Buttercup from The Princess Bride. The main reason why I liked this book is because it was very reminiscent of works like The Princess Bride. The romance was lovely, the humor was great, and I loved the world of this novel. Go read Swordheart immediately because there is going to be a sequel next year.

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There was a song in this forest, too, but it was a savage song, whispering of madness and tearing and rage: Reviewing Uprooted by Naomi Novik

Hi everyone! I hope you are all doing well. I’m starting to transition into my “spooky” books for October, but I have a couple of others to finish before then. I’m not really going to ramble too much. Naomi Novik has been in my peripheral vision for a bit now, and this is my first experience with any of her novels. I also want to say thank you all so much for continuing to engage with my blog. It means more to me than you know. I hope you continue to read my posts whenever you’re feeling a little bored. With all of that being said, I’ll get to what you came to this post for. Let’s talk about Uprooted.

Content Warning: Violence and Gore, Disturbing Imagery, Sexual Content, Attempted Sexual Assault, Animal Death

Every ten years, a warlock who calls himself the Dragon comes to the village to pick a girl to take away. In exchange, he protects the village from the dangers that hide in the corrupted Wood. Agnieszka had never expected to be chosen by the Dragon. She and everyone expected Kasia to be chosen. The Dragon, however, chooses Agnieszka for reasons she cannot understand. Soon, she finds herself absorbed in the world of magic, court politics, and war. With no other choice, Agnieszka must fight against the evil Wood to save everyone she has ever loved.

I didn’t go in with any real expectations for this novel, and Uprooted exceeded my nonexistent expectations. Naomi Novik is insanely imaginative and well-written. This novel went places I didn’t expect it to go, and that made it all the more enjoyable. The book is so atmospheric, with classic fairy tale elements and interesting lore. There was also plenty of action. I was not expecting this novel to have any intense battle scenes, but there were some really cool scenes involving monsters and warlocks. I am going to cut this review a little short because I want to stay away from any spoilers. I highly encourage you to experience Uprooted for yourself. I will definitely read more Naomi Novik novels in the future.

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Hell is other people: Reviewing Katabasis by R.F. Kuang

Hi everyone! I hope you are all doing well. I could not be more excited to talk about this book with you. I’m sure many of you have heard the buzz around Katabasis and I am more than happy to give my take on it. If you want, you can check my review of Babel, another novel by R.F. Kuang. Let’s get to the point and talk about Katabasis.

Content Warning: Disturbing Imagery, Some Violence, Some Gore, Some Sexual Content, Grooming, Suicidal Ideation, Strong Language

Alice Law has sacrificed everything to become one of the leading minds in the field of Magick. With the help of her talented mentor, Professor Grimes, Alice has become one of the emerging stars in Cambridge University. Everything was going according to plan until Professor Grimes is killed in a magical accident. Alice, though, can’t let the man who can open every door for her rot in Hell. The only solution is to bring him back. She is not the only Grimes student with this idea. Peter Murdoch, her academic rival, convinces Alice to let him join her journey. Armed with nothing by chalk and academic texts, Alice and Peter must face the unknowable horrors of the afterlife and survive, lest they lose the one person who can write them a good reccomendation.

As I said before, there has been a lot of discourse circling around Katabasis and if its overly complicated or too academic. Here’s my consensus: what acutally happens in the novel is not complicated but the way the events are talked about is complicated. As someone who’s read a fair few academic articles and gotten a test of grad school, I understood what Kuang was “going for,” so to say. With that out of the way, I personally enjoyed Katabasis. It was dark, imaginative, and a little cheeky. Kuang’s take on the afterlife is visceral and strangely relatable. There is a quote that goes something like “hell is what you make it” and I think that perfecly sums up what Katabasis is going for. It’s as a much an analogy as it is a fun, dark fantasy with vivid and disturbing imagery. The more “academic” aspects of the novel don’t pull away from the tension of this dark journey. I thought the pacing was just a bit off at times, but that is honestly a minor complaint. Kuang goes out of her way to really flesh out her characters and make them so perfectly flawed. Alice is her own unique person, but she also serves as a mirror to anyone who is a bit hard on themselves. The other characters all felt three dimensional, even if they weren’t human or only appeared briefly. I appreciate Kuang’s attention to detail in her prose and her unflinching commentary on different social and political issues. With all of that being said, I thoroughly enjoyed Katabasis and I think it is fully worth your time. (You might have to do some Googling while you’re reading but I think that’s the fun part).

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The measure of a person is not how much they have lived. It’s in how they make use of what life has shown them: Reviewing The Alloy of Law (Book 4 of the Mistborn Saga) by Brandon Sanderson

Hello everybody! How are you all doing? I hope you answered my silly rhetorical question while reading this. I am back (yet again) with another Brandon Sanderson book. Go ahead and check out my reviews of The Stormlight Archive and the first three books of The Mistborn Saga. It’s a lot, but it’s a good time I promise. With that being said, it’s time to talk about The Alloy of Law, the first book in the Wax and Wayne series.

Content Warning: Violence, Some Disturbing Imagery

Three hundred years ago, Vin, Kelsier, Elend and Sazed saved Scadrial and they live on trhough legends. Now, Scadrial is a flourishing city with steam powered locomotives and electricity. The outskirts of the city, known as the Roughs, are a lawless land where only those with magic have any hope of survival. Lord Waxillium “Wax” Ladrian is one of those. As a rare Twinborn, Wax has Allomancy and Feruchemy which allows him to Push on metals and control his weight. A tragedy, though, pulled him away from the life of a lawman. Just as Wax feels content with being a nobleman and politician, a gang of Allomancers go on a robbing spree and take several valuable hostages with them. With his city in danger, Wax finds himself drawn back into the life of a lawman once again.

The Allow of Law is a fun, fast-paced continuation of an already action-packed series. What I appreciated about this book was that it didn’t rely heavily on the previous trilogy but had enough references. This book was not as dark nor as centered on political drama as its predecessors. I appreciated the slight light-hardness because it didn’t detract from the excitement of the main plot. I enjoyed the new batch of characters in this book. They offered plenty of witty dialogue and just enough believability to the novel. Sanderson continues to dazzle me with his fascinating worlds and non-stop avalanche of interesting ideas. I am interested to see where this series goes and I would recommend that you join me in reading the Mistborn saga.

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May you have the courage someday to walk away. And the wisdom to recognize that day when it arrives: Reviewing Wind and Truth (Book 5 of The Stormlight Archive) by Brandon Sanderson

Hi everyone! I apologize for my prolonged absence. This book was mostly that reason because I decided to buckle down and finish the darned thing. Before you read this review, feel free to check out my other reviews of Brandon Sanderson’s novels. I have started the second arc of the Mistborn Saga, and I am excited to review that one much sooner than later, along with a bunch of other books that I am already excited to talk about. Enough with my yammering. Let’s (finally) talk about Wind and Truth.

Content Warning: Violence, Disturbing Imagery, Intense Battle Scenes

In ten days, Dalinar Kholin must face the evil god Odium. While Dalinar does his best to prepare, Oduim’s forces continue to wreak havoc across the lands. Adolin Kholin fights in Azir, Sigzil holds the Shattered Plains, and Jasnah continues her negotiations in Thaylenah City. In Shinovar, Szeth seeks to break the hold of the Unmade of his homeland. Kaladin, accompanying Szeth, must continue to fight his inner darkness while facing off against an insane Herald named Ishar. In another world, Shallan is forced to face her past while Renarin and Rlain try to unlock the secrets of the Unmade. Navani hopes to find an advantage against Odium and stop him. In ten days, the fate of the cosmere will be decided once and for all.

Wow. This entry into The Stormlight Archive was the most intense and existential thus far. So much happened, and I feel like I haven’t processed the other four books in this series. With all of that being said, I am still deeply impressed with Brandon Sanderson’s intricate storytelling and his deep care for this particular story. Despite the sadder parts of the book, there was still an underlying message about the power of optimism and resiliency in the face of internal and external obstacles. The tragedy in this novel didn’t exist for the sake of tragedy, nor did the triumph exist because that is what a story should call for. It is rare to find such purposeful writing in a book series that is comprised mostly of intense battle scenes and an interesting magic system. In case you can’t tell, I am still very much enjoying this series. I was shocked, needless to say, when I learned that Mr. Sanderson has FIVE more books planned for The Stormlight Archive. I’m hooked on this series, and I think you should get yourself hooked too.

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Don’t do what you can’t undo, until you’ve considered what you can’t do once you’ve done it: Reviewing Assassin’s Apprentice (Book 1 of the Farseer Trilogy) by Robin Hobb

Hi everyone! I hope you are enjoying your summer and surviving the heatwave. I still have an obscene amount of books to read and am reading more than my brain can handle at times. Still, I am having fun and enjoying everything so far. Summer just feels like the best time to read, but that is my humble opinion. I shall not ramble on when I haven’t posted here in quite some time. Let’s talk about Assassin’s Apprentice.

Content Warning: Violence, Some Descriptions of Graphic Injuries, Animal Death

Fitz is a young boy with no memory of his past. The only thing he knows is that he is the bastard son of Prince Chivalry. One day, he is presented to his grandfather King Shrewd, who decides he has use for the boy. He sends Fitz to be raised by Chivarly’s stable keeper until the boy comes of age. King Shrewd reveals to Fitz that he bears the Skill, a magical talent that only runs in royal blood. Fitz is sent to an eccentric tutor to hone his Skill and eventually become the king’s assassin. While Fitz is training, raiders start to lay siege upon the kingdom. Fitz is sent on a mission that will save the kingdom, but may be his last order from the king.

Assassin’s Apprentice was equal parts adventure, fantasy, and tragedy. Robin Hobb creates a steady narrative filled with political intrigue and fascinating world-building. The tension and tragedy of the novel make it all the more shocking and thrilling with each page. There were, admittedly, parts that dragged on a bit for me, but it wasn’t so slow-paced that I became annoyed or bored. If anything, it made me appreciate Hobb’s attention to detail as she balances her world-building and character development. All in all, Assassin’s Apprentice is an exciting high-fantasy novel that feels entirely unlike anything else.

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In the end, they will kill us. But first, they will fear us: Reviewing The Hero of Ages (Book 3 in the Mistborn Saga) by Brandon Sanderson

Hi all! As always, I hope you are doing well. Before you read this book, check out my reviews of the first two books in this series. I have the next book in the saga, or rather the first book in the next arc. You can think of it either way. I’m feeling invigorated with all of these good books I have been reading lately. If you want to know what I’m reading, feel free to follow me on StoryGraph (@n0vel_ideas). You can also follow me on BlueSky (@perseph0ne28.bsky.social). With all of that being said, let’s talk about The Hero of Ages.

Content Warning: Violence and Gore, Disturbing Imagery, Intense Battle Scenes

For a moment, Vin thought she had succeeded. She had reached the Well of Ascension and seemingly fulfilled the prophecy. It was, however, all a trick set by a dark god called Ruin. Now, Ruin seeks to destroy the world through flame. The only glimmer of hope is Elend Venture, who has a become a Mistborn himself. Now an emperor of a dying land, Elend must figure out what the Lord Ruler’s secret motives were and do so while staving off a war. Vin, on the other hand, refuses to believe that the world will fall to Ruin. She must figure out if she can truly be the Hero of Ages before the world ends.

Say what you will about Brandon Sanderson, but this man knows how to pack a punch at the very end of a book. This was an intense read with plenty of twists and turns in the middle of great action scenes. The battles and magical fights, though, don’t take away from the message of hope that is featured so prominently throughout this book, even the trilogy itself. So far my favorite thing about Brandon Sanderson as an author is that he is not afraid to break the reader’s heart in the process of restoring some faith in the world of the novel. (Slight spoiler here) I don’t know very many authors who aren’t afraid to kill off main characters in order to make a point, but here we are at the conclusion of this trilogy with as much satisfaction as heartbreak. Needless to say, I am so excited to start the next arc of this series and I highly recommend you join me in reading The Mistborn Saga.