Book Reviews

Ender’s Game (Ender’s Saga, #1) by Orson Scott Card

2020-09-27 Re-read this, and it was interesting to see how strong the emotional stakes were from the start. As a story I thought it good and strong with the caveat that I never believed the kids seemed as young as they were – or why it had to be children in this war. However, although I thought the story well-written, I didn’t totally enjoy it... Continue reading

Going Postal (Discworld, #33; Moist von Lipwig, #1) by Terry Pratchett

2020-09-19 When I originally read Terry Pratchett, I remembered Going Postal and Making Money as the author at the height of his creative powers. After some disappointment with recent Pratchett books I wasn’t sure what to expect. However, Going Postal still delivers. What we have is a tightly-written story with a very interesting character who constantly pushes the plot forward. This isn’t the case of... Continue reading

Orkney: A Historical Guide (Birlinn Historical Guides) by Caroline Wickham-Jones

2020-09-08 A good introduction to the archaeology and history of Orkney. Different chapters provide a general overview of each historical period of Orkney, followed by sites and excavations to illustrate them. Recommended not just for those with an interest in the history of Orkney, but also for those with an interest in prehistory – especially considering the extensive and unique archaeological sites on the islands,... Continue reading

The Truth: Stage Adaptation by Stephen Briggs

2020-09-07 Finished reading The Truth by Terry Pratchett. Like Small Gods it sagged in the second half with too much chatter, though not as much. Even still, these books seemed more juvenile this time around and neither as funny nor as intelligent as I remembered. And yet it was light-hearted and entertaining enough that I’m happy to start another Pratchett. Rating: 3/5 Continue reading

Small Gods (Discworld, #13) by Terry Pratchett

2020-08-29 I remember enjoying this book a lot when I was younger, and for the first half of the book I wasn’t disappointed. However, much of the second half became quite chatty and irrelevant – lots of focus on steam-powered inventions that were neither entertaining not even involved with the plot. In the end, this book still has strengths, but I noticed the weaknesses more... Continue reading

Worth Dying For (Jack Reacher, #15) by Lee Child

2020-08-23 Re-read this as I remember it as one of my favorites in the series. But how did it hold up this time around? As a thriller I think it’s a superb story, and in that way alone make it one of the best Lee Child books. It starts off with such a simple enough premise that grows into something much bigger as the novel... Continue reading

Legend (Drenai Saga, #1) by David Gemmell

2020-08-22 Re-read this again and still thoroughly enjoyed it. What Legend does nicely is manage to balance the heroic and humanity of its many well-drawn, distinguished, and very memorable characters, while providing a strong pace against a rich background. As became Gemmell’s signature, morality is relative, and this is underlined here in that warriors on opposing sides cannot be denigrated to simple ideas of good... Continue reading

The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate: Discoveries from a Secret World by Peter Wohlleben

2020-08-06 An enjoyable and easy-to-read book about trees, that mixes some of the latest science with the personal experiences of the author – who has spent decades as a forestry worker. The result is a number of surprising reveals, such as the social nature of trees, plus the role of fungi in connecting trees across a wide area. Some of the observations are underlined by... Continue reading

Byzantium by Stephen R. Lawhead

2020-07-28 A fantastic read, and I’m really surprised that more people aren’t talking about it. I mean, Celtic Monks, Vikings, Constantinople, and the Golden Age of Islam – what’s not to like about it?! Even better is that it’s well-written and never really flags. The characters are great, its rich in detail, the settings are alive, and the pace never lets up. This was my... Continue reading

Earth Science by Edward J. Tarbuck

2020-07-05 An excellent text book about Earth System Science, covering everything from minerals, erosion, plate tectonics, geologic time, oceans, atmosphere, and even other planets. It’s also focused on concepts rather than maths, making it a very accessible book for anyone looking to dig deeper into all aspects of geology and environmental science. This is a very comprehensive book, running to over 750 pages, all of... Continue reading