ocie's reviews
390 reviews

The Last Continent by Terry Pratchett

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adventurous funny lighthearted relaxing fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Terry Pratchett is, as always, hilarious. We follow the Wizzard Rincewind as he desperately runs away from another adventure which, as it turns out, is the adventure he's trying to avoid. 
Meanwhile the other Wizards of Unseen University get stuck back in time (while trying to locate Rincewind) on an island with the god of evolution who is just starting to figure things out.  
While this is a top-tier Rincewind-Runs-Away novel, it is, at its core, a book that deals with the myths and stories about the creation of worlds. This is woven in so smoothly with the perspective of the faculty of Unseen University, whose main focus is asking why all the time and not bothering to listen to an answer. So the whys about creation and evolution hang in the air, giving the reader something to think about. 

Bonus: I always enjoy the little parodies and references Pratchett slips into his works. My favorite in this one is "Crocodile Crocodile Dongle" (who I gather to be a parody of Crocodile dundee). 
When London Snow Falls by Hayden Stone

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hopeful lighthearted relaxing medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

A cute, low-stakes queer romance against a London background, this book was relaxing and easy to read. I thoroughly enjoyed it. 
System Collapse by Martha Wells

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adventurous emotional funny medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Martha delivers again with a great story of navigating corporate exploition and human error. Coupled with secunit error (martha I am holding you personally responsible for giving mb trauma) and team dynamics, it makes for a good read, one I couldn't put down. 
Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch by Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett

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5.0

Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle

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adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

An Oresteia by Sophocles, Aeschylus, Euripides, Anne Carson

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dark emotional sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Mort by Terry Pratchett

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adventurous funny lighthearted relaxing medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Terry Pratchett has this way of writing that can seem simplistic at first, and then by the end of the story you realize just how many threads he had wound around this spindle of a story. 

Which is what this story is. It's charming, it's fun, and it weaves a tale about the inevitability of death that stops you mid-laugh. 
The Geek Who Saved Christmas by Annabeth Albert

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funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

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adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0