First Mage on the Moon by Cameron Johnston
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have two things I want to make very clear:

This was a very moving and satisfying tale of achievement and grit and intelligence.

It also has one of most disagreeable openings I've ever read.

Now, to be doubly clear, I loved this book. It had a ton of great realism, hate for the gritty reality of war, and sheer, unbridled optimistic enthusiasm for a dream of something more even in the face of VERY little support or understanding or even a realistic outlook of surviving the great endeavor.

Indeed, it reads like the fantasy version of America's own space program at its very inception, only much more grueling and not sponsored by even a fraction of the people's good will. Indeed, it was a grand deception all done for the sake of truly fleeting glory--and it makes the novel feel like a book of true heroism in the face of insurmountable odds, but doubly so.

I loved it.

I rather HATED the opening, though. It really put the grimdark on the END of the novel before we even got a glimmer of hope or joy. Yikes. But damn. By the time I got a third in, I had to stay up all night reading it and it brought me a lot of joy. What a mess of contradictions, no? But maybe that's just me.

The best part of this book is the intelligence and idealism spitting in the face of so much horror. If you need that in your life, I totally recommend this book.

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Breaking the Dark: A Jessica Jones Marvel Crime Novel by Lisa Jewell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I don't know what I was thinking when I picked this up except that I was always a fan of Jessica Jones and I thought, "Why not?"

I DIDN'T realize this was written by a super-hot new mystery writer who's flying high in sales. Until just now. After reading it.

Well, mystery solved why I enjoyed the pacing and the plotwork so much, right? The superhero aspects are downplayed, which is the best part of JJ anyway, and it was pretty damn thrilling to discover just how odd and strange the story turned out to be.

I had a great time. I think I might take on the other upcoming marvel novel mysteries if they're anything as good as this.

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Judicator Jane 7: A LitRPG Adventure by Brian Rouleau
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is almost a pitch-perfect example of a concept taken much farther than it ought to have been taken.

I was sucked right in, tho. Indeed, I couldn't put it down for the life of me. I needed to have the full breakdown, the full conclusion, the total blast-out of Legendary classes. There was nothing in this or any LitRPG world that could have prevented me from sitting it out.

But this? I simultaneously want to think it's an utterly RIGHT ending for Pogg and I also want to think it's a total cop-out.

Fair enough. Considering all that has come before. The humor IS there. So is the serious aspect. It's perfectly in line with the premise. Blind justice and all. Without leading with actual blindness, mind you. That would be a step too far.

But honestly? The whole luck and justice thing MAY have gotten too muddled at this point. Each weakens the other unless the whole concept we need to rely on is the System itself. And if that's the case, then it's all suspect. Times ten.

I'll continue with #8 because it answers THAT particular question, but this one, for all I was actually glued to it, kinda left a bad taste in my mouth.


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ソードアート・オンライン 20: ムーン・クレイドル [Sōdo āto onrain 20: Mūn Kureidoru] by Reki Kawahara
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This one reads as one huge side-story, honestly. One that gives Tiese and Ronie a lot more page time, but a weirdly one-note one when it comes to Kirito. I think their comments about his language could have gone over fine once or twice, but it feels like it was constantly happening here. And there really wasn't any kind of growth. For anyone.

That being said, we get to see more of the Underworld and that was fine as far as it goes.

The plot, tho? Well, it feels rather skipable. It was probably my least favorite story in all of the light novels. Alas.

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Flybot by Dennis E. Taylor
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

If any of ya'll are looking for a Bobby ver 2, then don't.

There IS some fun dialogue sequences that absolutely go nerdy in a very fun way, but it is NOT the primary mode of this novel.

IF, on the other hand, you're looking for a snappy and interesting modern-day technothriller featuring people in over their heads with AGI, with a pretty balanced look at what AGI might actually mean or act like in a glorious blow-out of practical jokes leading up to mass tragedies, then you're absolutely looking in the right place.

And interestingly enough? The paperclip problem has been DEBUNKED. Wooo! Finally. No more paperclips. ;)

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BORUTO―ボルト― 7 ―TWO BLUE VORTEX― by Masashi Kishimoto
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I'm excited as hell again. So many people are again willing to help Boruto, be it half-willingly or not. But they ARE helping. Enemy of my enemy, and all.

But that isn't even the best part. The action sequences and the mini-reveals are brilliant. Both for Himi and Boruto this time. I'm really enjoying the hell out of this.

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BORUTO―ボルト― 6 ―TWO BLUE VORTEX― by Masashi Kishimoto
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

All Right!

That turned out awesome. Sarada is really stepping it up, and Boruto himself is crazy cool again.

The amount of reversals in this manga is pretty insane. Fortunately, it IS damn thrilling.


Wow, Sarada. Wow.

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