the_pale_woman's Reviews (542)

I loved this book. I'm in love with the series.

Everything clicks here, in my opinion. I'm completely satisfied with where this book took the story and where it's headed in the finale. The pacing was on point. Light Bringer flows from one great moment to the next. It's bloody damn fantastic. 

To be honest, I wasn't the biggest fan of the first book, Red Rising. However, looking back, it was the perfect starting point for this epic. After hindersight and a reread, I would probably rate it a shamelessly biased 5 stars. It was, after all, the start of something prime. My thought after finishing Light Bringer was that I wanted to start this series all over from the beginning. That is the best feeling a book can deliver and should be commended for that accomplishment. 

I can confidantly say this series has solidified a spot in my top 10 series of all time, and it's not even completed. That is high praise from me, and it's deserved. The audio books are great, too. Tim Gerald Reynolds is a perfect fit for the Red Rising saga. I was relieved and excited to see he is the sole narrator of Light Bringer. 

I would and will recommend this series to every book lover out there. Sci-fi epics like this can't be found just anywhere. It deserves more celebration and readership. 

This is exactly the type of book I'm looking for when it comes to historical literary fiction. I loved every moment of this story. Even the weird parts were completely riveting. 

I found the indepth descriptions of illnesses and medical procedures quite interesting. I have to give props to the author for being able to explain such dry material in such a compelling way. Additionally, I appreciated how much the practice of medicine was intertwined throughout the story. Every significant injury and illness impacted the characters and the course of the tale. I thought it was well researched and executed. Bravo.

While the story as a whole is on the sad side, I still found moments of content satisfaction. Not all sad stories will give you closure, but this book delivers. It truly was an incredible read.

I would recommend this to fans of cathartic reads. Audiobook was well narrated as well. 

Do yourself a favor and listen to this as an audiobook. Adjoa Andoh is an amazing narrator. She captures the vibe and characters in such a distinct way that I can't imagine the story without her voice. 

Translation State is a standalone in the Imperial Radch series, but you'll understand a lot more if you read the Ancillary series and Provenance first. While I recommend starting at the beginning, I could see myself still liking this book without the prior knowledge. 

The only other books I've found that are similar to this are the Wayfarers series by Becky Chambers or Murderbot by Martha Wells. However, the Radch has a more epic and intellectual quality that I appreciate. Intellectual isn't the right word, but the Radch is more imaginative and clever with its huge scale and mysterious plots. It also manages to address heavy subjects in a subtle way and not the direct preachyness other stories try to force on their readers. I like social commentary in my books, but I find it more enjoyable when it's worked into the plot and character development rather than laid out bare in the dialog or conflicts. 

I hope Leckie continues to write more novels in this universe because it's definitely becoming a favorite. 

The ending was a little weak, but I think it was a nice follow-up to the first book. You'll want more answers, but you won't get many, so manage those expectations. This takes place after the events of Annihilation, except you follow the new director at the Southern Reach.

I liked how it continued the creepy dream like atmosphere of the original, and I'm interested to see what the last book does with the story. 

I'm not a huge non-fiction reader, so take that into consideration while you contemplate this opinion. I wanted to be enthralled by this book, but it never happened. I appreciate the level of research that went into this work. It's obvious that the writer did his homework. The time and care it would take to gather this information is no small feat, so I admire the effort. 

However, I felt that I wanted more of the authors' opinions or maybe more information on where some of these accounts were found. There are a few lines at the end about what was published on The Wager Affair, but I wish I knew more of that during the story. That way, I could decide for myself which tales I would put credit in. I felt so much of these events were treated as fact, and I find that strange. So much can be lost with time and pride. 

On another note, I wanted more out of the characters. I understand they are real individuals, but a good character can really help pull you into a story. I was missing that, and it reminded me that fiction is my literary home. 

On the purely positive side, I loved the breakdown of sailor terms and phrases. As well as the descriptions of ship life and sailing through storms. This was the original draw to read the book, and I wasn't disappointed there. 

I would recommend this to people who claim to hate fiction.

This is practically a simplified retelling of Jane Eyre or Rebecca. I loved both of those books more than one should, so you would think I would love this, but I was left wanting. It just doesn't live up to its inspiration. Maybe if it had been more original and less recognizable, I would have found more enjoyment in the telling of this tale. 

Unlike the aforementioned books, this has two POVs. Along with the new bride, there is the priest. He's an interesting character. I wish the whole book had been about him. 

The plot did try to throw some twists in the mix. Honestly, I found these a little cheap, but I'll applaud their existence. There just wasn't enough foreshadowing or build-up to those reveals for me. 

I enjoyed some of the horror scenes. Without a doubt, those were the best moments in the book. I just found too many moments where I thought to myself, "Get on with it." Mostly those times when you're stuck in someone head while they dance around a decision. 

My biggest gripe was definitely the ambiguous ending. Similar to Rebecca, The Hacienda tries to leave you with a question. But this time, it's only a "will they/ won't they."  Such a disappointment. Either lean into the romance and provide satisfaction or give me something more to ponder on.

Three stars might not seem like the most steller rating for a book, but I actually really liked this series. However, this volume didn't live up to the first two, in my opinion. It captures the same vibe and is definitely a compelling story. I was just hoping for more answers and a more concrete ending. It feels more like a setup for more books than a conclusion to a trilogy. Some of the characters really drop off at the end. For example, I felt like Solo deserved more time to flush out his arch. Really, the whole ending felt rushed. It also failed to provide any surprises. At least none that felt earned. All in all, I needed more to love this, and it didn't happen. 

I would recommend this for fans of Blake Crouch. It reminded me a lot of Wayward Pines, but better. 

Don't read the description of this. It gives away too much information and doesn't provide you with any idea on the vibe of the book. In Shift, we get the origin story of the Silo. Told in three parts, this tale was an intriguing follow-up to WOOL. Each part follows a working "shift" for the architect of the Silo. It has the same investigative energy of the first book but with a new twist. Overall, I thought it was a solid sequel. I still have a ton of logistical questions, but that's to be expected with these types of books. I love how the whole story feels original even though it follows the same beats of the genre. I found it familiar, but it still piqued my curiosity. 

I wasn't completely thrilled with the ending/ setup for the next book. I feel like the Silo should have made religion one of their taboos. Religion is always paired with the rise of fear and the downfall of commonsense in a society. You would think it would have been an issue earlier in the Silo's history. 

This book is packed with unique world tid bits. However, it doesn't take the time to build them up. I generally love a lot of world building, but maybe only in a series. There is so much to follow in this medium length, stand-alone book. Ironically, I also feel like I need more explanation. I found it frustrating at the start. Then consequently I grew bored with it. There were just too many proper nouns combined with a lack of cohesive vision. I wanted less and more all at the same time. As a world and as a story, it left me unsatisfied. 

The characters were a little flat for me as well. Everyone is so formal. The POV has a voice, but his apathetic hero vibe becomes tiresome.

I just didn't click with any of this. Average at best. 

I could see other readers liking this, but it's not something I'm going to be thinking about in the future. 

WOOL felt like one of those typical dystopian thrillers that I can't help but like. I found the beginning build-up of the mystery quite interesting. And a rogue cop is always a fun lense to view these types of plots. I wish some parts of this had been better (like the ending), but overall, it was an enjoyable read. I'm curious to see where the story goes from here. 

I'm gonna hold off on recommending until I complete the set.