He Who Fights with Monsters 3 by Shirtaloon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A big turning point in this novel. It starts out innocuous. More team building, rehabbing Jason's reputation, getting stronger on a road trip, but it gets insane and the big baddie is challenged FAR earlier than intended. Again.

That's the thing about road trips. They sometimes end disastrously.

And that's why I think this one seriously elevates the series for the first time. It was really good before. Now it's starting to get deep.

View all my reviews

He Who Fights with Monsters 2 by Shirtaloon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Solid and enjoyable, this LitRPG has veered into a solid team-building exercise with characters we got to know individually in the first book. Nothing too unusual happened here except the expected political hiccups, demotions, quests, and puzzles.

The best part is the team-building, of course. Very character-centric. And Jason is truly a character. He probably should have been strangled in his crib. And his team would likely agree with me.



View all my reviews

He Who Fights with Monsters by Shirtaloon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

There ought to be a non-standard warning attached to this title.

Monsters are far from everything Jason fights. Indeed, this is a much more social Isekai than I thought it would be. I frankly assumed it'd be a solo progression based on what little I gleaned from it, but no. This displaced Australian is a true people person, which seems to be quite at odds with his whole doom/apocalypse DoT Sin-Eater build.

I guess it helps being an all-rounded kind of guy who can fire up a barbie while making his enemies rot from the inside as they run at you. Fun times!

To be perfectly honest, I thought this was a fairly average LitRPG for the first half, and was pleasantly surprised by the new directions by the second. Worth holding onto. I'm going to jump into the next right away.

View all my reviews

Uncapped: An Epic Fantasy LitRPG Adventure by Dakota Krout
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have to admit, there were some genuinely punny moments in this book. Just punny enough to make me want to youthenize myself. Oh, truly, rejuvenation has never been so... deadly. Or, at least, to my dad-sense.

And now that we've well moved on from those damn dwarves and we're jumping up and down world lines with summononed-coffee-addled impunity, I'm truly vibing to this. And being a true completionist seems to be truly in our grasp.

And I find it continually hilarious that the system keeps TRYING to give him so many new skills which he must constantly decline. Or that he is OWED so much cosmic karma debt that trying to get it repaid would destroy him utterly a thousand times over. It's truly hilarious.

And this last achievement... has really blown off my hat. I can't wait to see where it goes now. There's still new robes to don. Anger to be had against him.

This LitRPG has had its ups and downs, but it's back in fine form.



View all my reviews

All The Skills: Book 6: A Deck-Building LitRPG by Honour Rae
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Cleanup of a massive outbreak of scourge, consolidating his new clan, becoming beast with all his legendary cards, and generally just getting better with ALL the skills, this continuation is, quite frankly, more of the same. Big plot progression, let alone minor plot progression, either passes by without much hassle, or is so minor as to be negligible.

Good thing all other things are going to hell, or there'd be no story.

All told, still a fun read.

View all my reviews

Songs of the Dead by Brandon Sanderson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The good: It reads like an interesting post-UF fiction that really leans into the idea of "You're never truly dead until nobody remembers you" and specifically the consequences of artists who dearly want to be immortalized.

It goes well beyond just musicians, of course, but this is where we stand in the first book. Strata being social-archeological, if that isn't clear. :)

I also really love the whole philosophical discussion going on here between old-school art, being forgotten or supplanted or twisted, becoming the staunch old-guard, versus the rebellion, the one that brings in the fresh. And how so much of that can be twisted the other way.

Subtext on writing is there, too. What is cribbed, what is riffed, what is stolen, but it's buried fairly deep behind the music. Art problems are art problems and I enjoy this kind of thing.

The so-so: the spark just isn't that strong? At least, when I read about artists inspiring awe, I would rather have it SHOWN with something truly inspiring and impressive in the text, in a way that is actually surprising. Not just "he sang and the audience was awestruck". I need to be lead to true awe, too, and I'm an easy customer. I WANT to be awe'd.

This book was not awesome. It could have been. The premise is damn good. The particulars, the music history, real history, and the discussion is genuine and neat. But the execution needed to SHINE.

View all my reviews

The Legend of Randidly Ghosthound 13: A LitRPG Adventure by Noret Flood
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Definitely still one of my favorite LitRPGs. In the Nexus, running into a ton of politics while being a drill sergeant to a bunch of monsters who just aren't monstrous enough for this realm, is really funny when you consider just how much of a monster he is now. Planet destroying OP is kinda small, after all.

But what I really loved in this book was the special training session for himself. More of an escape that turns into a massive time dilation as if he's in a black hole that then turned into a "f it, I'm going to ghost myself by training so hard and after years of effort alone in this hellscape I'll arrive back home with only a missing week".

Yeah. Them's beast tactics.

Fun payoff, too, especially with WHAT he's training.

My only complaint is where it ended. I kinda wanted a rather big showdown with a few asshats. Next time, I guess.


View all my reviews

Preaching to the Choir by Adrian Tchaikovsky
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Half way through, I was reminded of Charles Stross and a very excellent short story he wrote. And so it turns out, Tchaikovsky admits to a conversation with Stross at a previous time.

This is far from a condemnation. This is high praise, for the concept behind this particular novella is excellent. And creepy. And deliciously evil. :)

No spoilers. It's very much an American butting romantic heads with aristocracy story. And more. Muahahahahaha

View all my reviews

The Dark Healer #4 by Alex Toxic
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Well, it's getting slightly better with a much bigger quest and some travel and more idiots to trounce along the way. But this is not high-brow. Just your normal super-powerful noble magician toying around with modern idiots.

I have to wonder if it's worth continuing, even with the bigger corruption quest.

View all my reviews

The Dark Healer #3 by Alex Toxic
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The slow progression of story is what really stands out here. Which is kinda sad, really. Clan dominance, being OP and only slightly hiding it, training the young to be better necromancers--it's all pretty obvious.

Unfortunately, the underlying expectation of a bigger story isn't really there. At most, it's a gotcha of someone finally recognizing your name from history books. Which isn't that huge.

I think I'll try another book and hope it picks up from there.

View all my reviews

The Dark Healer #2 by Alex Toxic
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It's an okay story. Nothing too special about it except it has all the Godfather vibes with old magical families trying to bring this upstart (ha) down. But clan building time was still fun, so hey.

At this point, I'm losing a little interest. The beginning was better. I'll continue on a bit and see.

View all my reviews

The Dark Healer #1 by Alex Toxic
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Simple concept, easy story. Necromantic lord wakes up after a thousand years to arrive in modernity and completely dominates. Oh, and electricity is corruption and healing people of the effects of that corruption makes them all feel better. And btw, the worst corrupted people in the modern age are douchebags.

See? Simple concept, easy story. Kill people, others feel great, and we get that fine old noblesse oblige feeling for killing the fake nobles.

Truly, I find nothing objectionable about it. It's a true eat the rich scenario--just as long as we ignore this dude being the biggest and baddest of all the baddies. After all, he's hot and it's super easy to get rich with this scheme.

I told you, right? The story is EASY. Like, it writes itself. lol


View all my reviews

When Wizards Follow Fools by Andrew Rowe
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I've been enjoying all these books for exactly the same reason. It's nerdy. Artificing, hacking magic to get the right effects to trounce your enemies, and a bit of light adventure within a grand story arc. But mostly, because it's nerdy and hyper-focused on getting stronger by hacking the rules and using a bit of elbow grease.

This one is no different than the rest. And honestly, that's exactly what I want. Comfort food with smart components and a bit of social awkwardness to go along with brilliant battle scenes showing off all that early preparation.

I had fun, and I don't apologize for it. :)

View all my reviews

The Pilot by Will Wight
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The chaotic good space opera just got a lot more chaotic neutral. Even the gray got a little bit muddy. But hell, what can you expect when family is involved, right?

Whole worlds dying, an entire civilization at risk, games designed by epic toys threatening galactic collapse? Nothing in comparison to revenge, right?

Right.

Being mad is boon. Ah, those mad pilots.

Fun stuff.

View all my reviews

The Knight by Will Wight
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Solid, but perhaps I didn't quite like it as much as the first two. But mileage varies. Specifically, if you like the story of the ultra honorable warrior who whips out his gigantic magical gundam unit when it gets too dicey for his sword, then this is definitely for you.

Plenty of action and bigger action later, but I particularly loved the new additions of Zenith weapons.

Of course, never trust intelligent weapons, right? That's a thing. A thing that people ALWAYS TEND TO FORGET because, hey! SO POWERFUL. lol

Fun stuff.
Very Magic. Very SF. Very Huge.

Simple, light, adventurous fun.

View all my reviews

The Engineer by Will Wight
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

After book 1's impressive space opera setup, I had high hopes for the second book. Finding that engineer is super important, after all. And it really paid off.

Not only is she a mad scientist, but she's the main villain in a TON of protagonist's tales. A real thorn in their side. And being their maker, and all, there's tons of pathos, too. I almost want to say it's Dragonball Z Cell level mayhem. And maybe it's even worse.

Muahahahahaha

I'm so glad they're aiming for top-quality help.

View all my reviews

The Captain by Will Wight
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

You know, I was a little cautious upon starting this. It just FELT like pulp SF schlock no matter how I looked at it.

And it absolutely f'n is.

It's not Star Wars. It's literally a collection of all the best, most OP magical tropes like collecting all the memories of re-lived lives, becoming versions of multiple arch-mages, and then setting off to right all the most horrible mistakes across the galaxy as an ultimate space-wizard--with the specific addition of a world-killing world-mind-powered intelligent spaceship that levels up based on the quality of the crew it... um... consumes.

So, yeah, adventure happens. On very, very schlocky scales. Legions of foes destroyed. Whole systems. And the captain and the ship still needs to find more crew.

Muahahahahahahaha

I admit I was a bit worried--at first.

But the balance of the narrative Force was maintained. :)

It absolutely helps that the author knows his genres and all the things he's borrowing and even nods at them as he makes one hell of cool SF pulp space opera his very own thing.

It's no high literature. But it IS very fun. OP fun. The good guys defeat the bad guys. Ahem. Reminds me of something someone said about how we should always fear the Hero. Heroes kill more than any villain ever could. :)

View all my reviews

A Parade of Horribles by Matt Dinniman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ok, so getting through this has left me a bit shell shocked.

The humor and the bonkers imagination is still going full force. (I'm looking at you, Satan's Water Slide, lovely Penelope, chicken tendies, and countless little f-d up details throughout the novel (or novels) that make every reader shake with either rage or chaotic glee.)

But this novel in particular has crossed the line from deep gallows humor and insane killer clown territory to a deep kneecap-chopping horror rage that can only end with utter and terrible destruction.

Mind you, I love myself some good horror, and it's even better when it's so twisted it just becomes funny, but Dinniman just went----overboard. Or rather, he's pushing all new envelopes. And those envelopes are made up of more than magical barely-sentient farts.

It's people. The true horror is people. So many people.

I feel it here, even more than all the previous books where we had to get used to genocide-for-entertainment on a universal scale. As they make it this far, it becomes ever more obvious just how f-d up it all is.

And I'm on Carl's side. Donut, too.

At this point, being an utter agent of chaos might be the sanest thing left.



Honestly, this book might just scar you. Be forewarned. It's great. It's also the world's last, greatest death-race that's part Mad Max, Deadpool, Joker, and karaoke. But I'm also tearing up.

We're getting really close to the end.



View all my reviews

Andy in the Apocalypse: A LitRPG Adventure by Plum Parrot
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Pitch-perfect progression fantasy. This LitRPG borrows beautifully from both settlement building and tower defense while giving that full Dungeon Crawler Carl vibe.

Maybe not with the absurdist elements, but definitely the system interference.

Suffice to say, I'm immediately drawn in and I'm here to stay. I can't wait for the next. But then, I've been devouring all of Plum Parrot's series and I feel the same way about Victor of Tuscon.

I feel like I'm eating very well. :)

View all my reviews

Master Alvin: The Tales of Alvin Maker, Book Seven by Orson Scott Card
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Now, while I can't say I liked this nearly as much as the rest of the Alvin Maker series, I can say that it has a lot going for it. Specifically, it remains true to the crunchy granola ideals it began with.

That is: true Christian ideals where you love your neighbor, help your neighbor, and protect your neighbor even if they are out to hurt you. It's good. Of course, when you get to Alvin by this point in the series, after he created the Crystal City and brought together all those with magical knacks to protect them from assholes who'd burn them for witches in frontier-era America, you know he's pretty beast. Almost godlike.

So now we have the conclusion of his legend, and I guess my only complaint is that it came so many years after the previous book.

I will specifically point out that there's nothing objectionable in this novel. The good guys protect the downtrodden and protect women, blacks, and anyone that is considered different. One can easily read into the text that those with knacks could very well be lgbtq, and how they are treated, and Alvin could be a true martyr for them.

Indeed, if one knew nothing of the author and just went by the novels, one might start raving about just how DECENT and GOOD all the messages are, and how interesting the story is, and how satisfying it turned out--even as a semi-tragedy.

But that's mythos for you. And I suppose I will always have a soft spot in my heart for the whole series because it truly was magical and a clever twist on historical fantasy. Seventh Son through Master Alvin was right up there for me along with Ender's Game.

For those who criticize, I just want to reiterate: separate the art from the artist. The art may have dropped off some, but the message is still true--irrespective of the artist.

View all my reviews

Whalefall by Daniel Kraus
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Well now. This was surprisingly pretty great. And while I don't know the actual science or biology nearly as well as this author seems to, I couldn't find anything wrong with any of it.

And that is terrifying.

Just to imagine getting swallowed by a sperm whale. Surviving.

Of course, there's a lot more story here, and it's a good horror in all the old traditions. As body horror, it ought to reign pretty supreme. Whose body, though? Muahahahahahaha

Definitely worth the read.

I definitely do NOT know how they'll adapt this to a movie where you can get all the internal stuff from the page onto the screen, but I'm pretty sure they'll get the other internals pretty well.

Don't eat before seeing this movie. I'm sure this will be reasonable advice.



View all my reviews

Couriers Outbound by Pirateaba
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

My favorite endless tale continues. And when I mean endless, it's merely a wish, because even though it's a truly enormous tale, with each book being huuuuugeeee, it's still one of the most enjoyable, heart-warming, edge-of-seat, anger-enducing, honorable, well-rounded, and amusing novels (or novel series) out there.

At least, I can't believe how invested I am in it. Or just how much sleep I'm willing to eschew in order to keep reading. Or how excited I am for each new novel. Or how invasive the thought is that I should want to start re-reading this monstrous series from the start again for the sheer joy of it.


In particular, I'd say that this novel and the one directly preceding it are heavily entwined, but that's not quite true. All of the characters have wonderfully huge story arcs that are epic and fantastic in their own rights and are heavily interwoven in each and every novel that comes out. It's impossible to separate them directly and I wouldn't want to, even if they generally have little to do with other arcs except as glancing blows. But that doesn't mean much when it builds such a huge amount of worldbuilding that lives and breathes and gives heart and beauty even to those who would be endless enemies to other characters.

The point is, it's all people. Even when they're different races. drakes, gnolls, stitch people, witches, insects, goblins, dragons, humans. Those from this world or from Earth. Each with their own load of baggage. And yet... strange, beautiful intersections between them all. Endlessly fascinating. And NOT derivative. :)

There's a reason why I love the series. And it's mostly due to its heart.

View all my reviews

William Shakespeare's The Empire Striketh Back by Ian Doescher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Even better than A New Hope, Shakespeare-style. Or rather, I guess my preference for Empire Strikes Back got the better of me here, too. :)

But either way, I love having a full dramatization, Shakespearian-style, of one of my favorite movies. It just WORKS. All the classic themes... and even the monsters get soliloquies. :)

So yummy. Pure pleasure.

View all my reviews

Crimson Alliance by James A. Hunter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I'm trying to decide whether I honestly like this LitRPG setup. It feels like a rather global and simplified massive multiplayer rpg now, with equally simple factions compared to some other rather impressive LitRPGs I've read.

The whole shadow realm magic system is okay, but not really that impressive, either. It's more on the level of World of Warcraft 1, but with Earth refugees making things unnecessarily difficult. You know, as usual.

So far, it's just... kinda plain. I may give it one more try.

View all my reviews

Cataclysm by James A. Hunter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Pretty standard LitRPG with a standard setup. Get online to escape a cataclysm, die, and be reborn. Find a class and level up. Quests.

While it isn't bad, it doesn't stand out much yet. Shadow skills. Very Skyrim-like. I just hope it gets better, story-wise, but it's not bad. Just average.

View all my reviews

Last of the First by L.E. Modesitt Jr.
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I generally look forward to these Saga of Recluse books for one thing in particular: Slow and Steady Rational Thought and Action. The characters almost always wind up being truly excellent individuals excelling where everyone else gets muddle-headed or mired in their old momentum.

It's REFRESHING to see rational people get ahead so easily. It warms my heart. And this one is no different from ANY of the others. Indeed, it feels almost exactly like all the others. How many characters started out from lowly beginnings only to learn to harness order magic or chaos magic, join the military, learn they have a knack, only to trounce over everyone and rise in the ranks only to trounce all the old guard magicians at their own game and come out on top?

Um, really, it's a massive trend. Massive. Anyway. I enjoyed this a LOT right until the point nearing the end where we just up and upended EVERYTHING. Or rather, the author did. As if it was just too much bother to do the slow build and slow grind as usual. And just... decapitate the progress.

I GUESS that's an end? Most of the previous books were set pieces so this kind of blowout is kinda expected and then it all wraps up for another look at another time period with another set of suspiciously similar MC's. But this was kinda special because we've stuck with THIS character for much longer than expected. And, indeed, after reaching the capitol and JUST NOW getting his bearings on the intrigues, I fully expected it to go on at least another book or two.

And you know what? I would have had a good time.
It's a COMFORTING read. They always had been.

So, I guess I'm just scratching my head. I hope the author is okay.


View all my reviews

Exo: A Novel by Colin Brush
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In a lot of ways, this is exactly the novel I get most excited to read when I'm hunting for SF. Big ideas intersecting with normal life, even if in unique settings such as across the solar system after an exodus from Earth.

I love this kind of thing. When the truly awe-some needs to be understood by normal people under a lot of hardship. And when the Caul is introduced... a hyperdimensional topography that tends to make people go mad or run into it or eventually commit suicide... it certainly seems to be something wicked.

I kept thinking to myself that this could easily have been a book by Reynolds. High class hard SF that isn't all space opera, but edging the boundaries of all that we actually know.

Later on, however, it kinda went away from that. Becoming a murder mystery was fun, of course, as was the whole weird religious angle that totally scans for humanity in truly odd situations like this, but I think there was a little too much emphasis on it and less on the story and the awe, which is what I was geared to enjoy from the start.



Not bad, mind you. And the conclusion was very Arthur C. Clarke. Either way, I'm going to keep a close eye on this author. I want more.

View all my reviews

The Regicide Report by Charles Stross
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Laundry Files is now done.

I feel sad. But there is one thing that will outlast even several Lovecraftian Apocalypses: Bureaucracy.

Truly, the Excalibur sword of any math-based demon trying to tear a hole in reality or your mind or her Majesty the Queen. Red Tape is stronger than the Sword.

The humor is right in line with the core of the whole series, of course, but here's something I loved the most: a return to Bob and Mo. It's only fitting. The Eater of Souls and the Invisible Woman doing all they can for Queen and Country.

Very satisfying. And it's extremely interesting to see how the royalty always tend to need a bit more sunscreen in the end. Not surprising, of course, but you know how it goes. Needs must and all. No need to bring up regicide or anything. Think of the public relations nightmare!

I think it's a fine sendoff to an old-time favorite series. We even get a massive magical showdown, but those are always so paltry to the tape, in the end.



View all my reviews

Platform Decay by Martha Wells
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Back to action and adventure and emotional damage.

That is its defining feature, after all. Robots and emotional damage.

At least this did have some pretty decent SF adventuring. Retrieval, hacking, escape, and decent atmosphere.

I won't say it's the best SF I've ever read, but it's entertaining enough.

View all my reviews

The Primal Hunter 14 by Zogarth
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Decent ramp up and finale for the whole Yip of Yore war. A lot of random slow progression story bits steadily leading us forward, too.

But all in all? Pretty much a simple and unsurprising plot. Enjoyable as a cog in the overall structure, but nothing to write home about in the particulars.

View all my reviews

The Last Contract of Isako by Fonda Lee
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I think I really wanted to like this more than I actually did. It's a slow moving corporate/samurai kind of novel, quite cyberpunk in some aspects, but kinda lacking in the hacking.

By all rights, I should have fallen in love with it. I didn't even mind the older swordswoman trope doing the lethal weapon gambit while trying to solve the mystery of her boss's corporate suicide and the fate of her old protege.

For the most part, I even liked the future-corporate vibes. It's ugly and backstabby, but that's the old cyberpunk trope, too.

So what happened? The setup was okay, the characters, such as Isako herself, were fairly decent. But honestly? The story was kinda bland. The reveals were low-key. The surprises weren't very surprising. I kept waiting and wanting for more.

I probably wouldn't have had a problem with this had I felt more in tune with the characters, or felt more kinship with Isako. Hell, if she had had more noir cliches attached to her, I probably would have just treated this like a fun cyberpunk romp that uncovered and recovered from some nastiness. Or not. As long as the vibe was there, it would have been fine.

As it was, it just felt a bit off to me. Not bad, just not ... there. Alas.

View all my reviews

Korean Webtoon [전지적 독자 시점] Vol. 18 by Sleepy-C
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Welcome to paradise. And Paradise Lost.

The subversion of story tropes are still going strong. And beautifully.

There's something about being a constellation... or a transcendent character.

This series is getting almost mythical. Or rather, beyond mythical. And it's become one of my favorites already. :)

View all my reviews

전지적 독자 시점 17 [Jeonjijeog Dogja Sijeom 17] by Umi .
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have seriously not had quite THIS much fun with any manga, manhwa, Isekai, fantasy, or SF in quite a long time. Not and it being NEW to me at the same time.

And again, I found myself laughing out loud. Chortling hard, sometimes startling neighbors and definitely my family. Disturbing dogs in the street.

That's the kind of story this is. Fun, clever as hell, fun, smart, fun, crazy as shit, and did I mention fun?

And now I finally get other people's comments about blurry faces and the ugly. Good thing he and I are both readers. We don't care about such things. We just want good stories.

And we're getting a GREAT story.

View all my reviews

전지적 독자 시점 16 [Jeonjijeog Dogja Sijeom 16] by Umi .
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Daaaaaaaaammmnnnnn.

I mean, sure, the writing is fantastically strong. Strong enough to point to all the ways it will work out in the end, but that doesn't change the fact that it was one HELL of an end. Of this scenario. And other things.

Damn. What a blow-out! The strongest has to die or half the population. And the strong are very, very strong.

This is the kind of story that really sticks with you, even when there are very OP people. But even better than that, the characters are all so... GOOD. Fantastic even. Well developed, changing, growing, doubting, getting stronger. Everything. And it's not just a handful, either, but everyone has stories they can be proud of.

Especially when it's time to break that fourth wall. Muahahahahahahaha

View all my reviews

전지적 독자 시점 15 [Jeonjijeog Dogja Sijeom 15] by Umi .
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Things just have to get THAT much worse for every scenario, right? They're really pulling out all the stops.

But at least we finally get to see the third way to survive and apocalypse.

Old clichéd story, but still a great one. And damn, here we go with all three in one place, fighting it out like truly crazy people or three-way love stories.

Ahem.

What a delicious turn this is taking. And not only is the artwork still gorgeous, the story still blows it out of the water. Amazing.

View all my reviews

전지적 독자 시점 14 [Jeonjijeog Dogja Sijeom 14] by Umi .
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Always be surprising the reader, right??? Damn.

And here I thought it was only going to be Isekai twisting, not a bit of AOT, too! Or rather, a lot. And all the while, incorporating DCC, time-loops shenanigans, fable-resonance, AND fourth-wall breaking.

I'm a bit flabbergasted. And yet, it all still works beautifully, smoothly, and best of all, gloriously. :)


This has officially become one of my all-time-favorite series. I like others for different reasons, of course, but this one is supplanting most just for one little fact:

It is awesomely self-aware and critiques all literature while being great literature, itself.

Bravo!

View all my reviews

전지적 독자 시점 13 [Jeonjijeog Dogja Sijeom 13] by Umi .
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Big character reveal for Dokja, but honestly, it's so in line with so many Isekai that it's almost EXPECTED at this point. And to make things all the more obvious, the new story scenario BECOMES an Isekai. Which is just too precious, considering how well this series takes on all the clichés and subverts them so excellently.

And this one is no different. Set the pins up, knock them down unexpectedly. :)



View all my reviews

전지적 독자 시점 12 [Jeonjijeog Dogja Sijeom 12] by Umi .
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Who doesn't love a little Orpheus action in a tale about a baby mythos asking for help from a real mommy of mythos? Muahahahaha

Oh yeah, the promises we make must be fulfilled. No matter how much pain and suffering and death might come from it. Or in this case, just death. Hello, Persephone. :)



View all my reviews

전지적 독자 시점 11 [Jeonjijeog Dogja Sijeom 11] by Umi .
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Damn. It just gets better and better. This scenario's catastrophe has a fantastic backstory, but what's even better is her interactions and all the surprises she has in store for her.

It's moving. Seriously moving. And just when I think the story has peaked, it gets twisted yet again into something tragic and even possibly transcendental.

I'm honestly shocked. I've read a lot of great manga and manhwa, but this just goes ten steps beyond most. And it does it smart.

The constellations (us) are pleased. :)


View all my reviews

Children of the Lens by E.E. "Doc" Smith
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Magical SF supermen have children, too? *shocked*

And instead of going the path of Lost in Space, alas, we go for a whole family of chosen ones? *shocked*

1947. Vast breeding program creating super-supermen? Okay, that's slightly creepy. But it's the good guys, so that's okay. Right?

LENSMEN (and women), go find the true baddies and GO TO WAR!


Okay, so. Even tho most of this sounds pretty cringe, and it really is, the story and the next generation's characters are pretty cool. It's obvious that this is the TRUE classic Golden Age of SF from the grandmaster of the Golden Age. Pure adventure, through and through, and inspiring countless crappy SF tv series for decades to come.

But this IS the true classic. So kudos where it deserves it. :)

View all my reviews

Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint, Vol. 10 by Umi .
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love how dark and ultimately hopeful this really is.

As a reader who just wants a GREAT story, who already knows what SHOULD have happened, who is trying to give JUSTICE to other's sacrifices, while making sure that characters all get a chance to really shine, no matter whether they're meant to be a great evil or a catastrophe or a potential friend, it speaks to me deeply.

And as a reader, I'm just like the Reader.

I'm not only deeply invested in THIS story, I'm deeply invested in all the ways it is making me feel, making me think, and making me appreciate not just stories, but all stories.

That's freaking impressive. For any work of art.

I am amazed.

View all my reviews

Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint, Vol. 9 by Umi .
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Catastrophe after catastrophe. It's time to bring out all the main characters to the party.

It's a shame there aren't any.

Oh, well, I guess it's time for the reader to get to work. :)

So delicious. Massive battles here, fantastic twists. And better yet, we don't just have time-loop specialists, but actual Isekai returners! Woooo!

Are they always such assholes? Oh, wait. Yeah. They are. Muahahahahahaha.

View all my reviews

Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint, Vol. 8 by Umi .
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

SIDE STORY TIME. Or so we're meant to believe.

Of course, after the Reader's last stunt, the scenario creators are PISSED. They need to get their stories straightened out. Poor guys.

Of course, this just makes things even more interesting when our Reader works through some of his own shit and even makes an ally out of a previous enemy. Which is, of course, a trope--and this particular kind of story, as a whole, LOVES to twist tropes. Muahahahahaha

Have I mentioned that this manhwa is killing it? It is. I'm a huge fan. It doesn't treat us readers like idiots. *wipes a tear from his eye*

View all my reviews

Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint, Vol. 7 by Umi .
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow. I am very pleased by this volume. Not only do we have multiple layers of fourth-wall acknowledgement and high-level story comprehension, but we have direct criticism of storytelling in general and a sincere desire to create an original story despite starting out as a critique and a joyful example of LitRPG in the first place.

Did I say I'm very pleased by this work?

I should say I'm extremely thrilled by it.



This is absolutely killing it. :)

View all my reviews

Apotheosis: The Beginning After the End, Book 12 by TurtleMe
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I'm not entirely sure about this one.

On the one hand, it did pull off some world-shattering action and other high stakes. On the other, there was a lot of side characters I just didn't care about. That's a problem for this series in particular. It's not that they aren't important in their ways. It's that I just couldn't care about them when Arthur begged continued center stage.

That being said, it wasn't the worst, and it wasn't the best end to any LitRPG or fantasy series. I guess I wanted a little more focus. Or perhaps there was something else bothering me. Lack of heart, maybe. It's amorphous. Perhaps I just felt like it had run out of steam.

Alas.

View all my reviews

Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint, Vol. 6 by Umi .
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wild. Yes, the mid-level organizers are damn cheaters, but then, I think everyone is at this point. Damn author. Loving it, though.

The art is great, but the story is fantastic. Very Dungeon Crawler Carl but with even smarter scenarios and twists, if possible.

I'm totally hooked.

View all my reviews

Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint, Vol. 5 by Umi .
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The third scenario was great. I loved how it ended. But I'm really looking forward to how the fourth is heading. I'm chortling.

The art is, as always, great. I absolutely love the premise of this manhwa. It really puts the power in the reader. So to speak. Or actually. :)



View all my reviews

Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint, Vol. 4 by Umi .
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have to admit, this is a sight more clever than most action series I come across. In fact, I think I'm in love. There are hints of an OP nature, but the balance is JUST right. Teamwork and special skills and just having a bit of foreknowledge about the scenario makes it rather SATISFYING, in fact. Like watching someone play a great game for the second time while you, yourself, don't know anything.

You get right to the point. It's really fun. And then, there are all the scenarios and changes to the story that don't fit, creating a great sense of mystery at the same time.

I'm impressed. Very.



View all my reviews

The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress by Robert A. Heinlein
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Re-Read 5/25/26:

Still a fantastic read. And what a FRESH and GOOD read after his immediately prior publication. :)

I DO want to take a moment to mention something, however: With all the AI talk we've had for years now and with the standard of Mike fully realized in actual reality, sans lobbing rocks, it's all pretty amazing.

And with the whole lobbing rocks thing in the novel, and with the current standard of the oligarchs and technofeudalists, technofascists, taking all the WORST ideas from the BEST SF books and building their own Torment Nexuses at their first opportunities, I'm kinda surprised they aren't just skipping the whole Mars thing to set up colonies on the Moon to create a wonderful catapult system to sit next to and laugh like the Bond villains they are as they threaten all of Earth.

I mean, seriously, I totally expect it of them now.

Beautiful book, other than the fact it would give all the wrong people even worse ideas.
Sigh.



Original Review:

What do you want us to do? Throw rocks at them?

Nah, but we could have a tea party.

Wow. I'm still amazed at how good this Revolution novel has held up over the years. I had read it twice before this latest re-read, but it hasn't lost any of its charm.

Of course, I love Heinlein's heavy reliance on self-reliance, libertarianism, and TANSTAAFL. I'm lucky to have read him early so as to be fully indoctrinated in this gung-ho politicism of Rational Anarchy and I can laugh and whoop and grin foolishly all the while.

But I'm weird.

Still. When it comes to the story, the most amazing thing about this novel is not that it's set on the moon or that it has been populated with all of Earth's undesirables, or that they're economic slaves to the Earth. Nope. It's amazing that this book is actually a How-To-Guide on how to stage a successful revolution against a technologically and militarily superior foe, from initial planning, leverage, sleeper cells, and of course, political preparation, communication, diplomacy, and economics. And, of course, the resulting MASS DEATH of so many innocents. Can't forget that.

But I suppose the one thing that sticks in my mind most strongly is the planetary computer, Mycroft. What a guy/gal. He/she always gets me in the feels. That's leverage.

Fortunately or unfortunately, I keep on seeing tons of good revolution books or modern SF still stealing from this classic, either knowingly or unknowingly. Perhaps all AIs that show up in SF are a reply to Mycroft in one way or another. Who knows? This is the one that stands out supreme in my mind and perhaps always shall.

Call me a Lunatic. I dare you. ;)

This one won the Hugo in '66, but I also place it firmly in one of my top 100 novels of all time. :) Great stuff. :)

View all my reviews

Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint, Vol. 3 by singNsong
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I'm really getting some great Dungeon Crawler Carl vibes off of this one. The art is still fantastic, but the unexpected humor goes really well with the truly dark themes. You know, like DCC. But unlike DCC, there's a pretty excellent balance of craftiness, gore, and forethought in this one.

Really shaping up to be something excellent.

View all my reviews