Overbooked Reader

Finally, some action! No, correct that. Plenty of action! Before They Are Hanged, book two of The First Law trilogy by Joe Abercrombie is filled with plenty of wars and battles, more than making up for what the first book lacked. I imagine the wait would have been truly worth it, but I already had a copy on hand and was able to continue with the story immediately. I usually don't read book series in succession, but I don't regret making an exception for The First Law trilogy, so far.       Book two begins where book one left off, with the Union preparing for war on two fronts: attacking Bethod and his legions in the north and defending against the Gurkhish Empire and their Eaters in the south. Colonel West is assistant commander of the northern army, while Inquisitor Sand dan Glokta is given the impossible task of defending Dagoska, the Union's only remaining land in the south.  Meanwhile, a party of unlikely companions embark o...

Reading The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie is like playing the first few hours of a role playing video game like the Final Fantasy and Dragon Age series . The novel has a 'gathering your party' feel to it as key characters are introduced. These characters find themselves working together in three separate groups, by the end of the novel. Nobleman Captain Jezal dan Luthar is an excellent fencer training for an upcoming tournament. Inquisitor Sand dan Glokta is a cripple and torturer, a shadow of the fencing champion and decorated soldier he once was. Logen Ninefingers, one of the fiercest barbarians of the north, finds himself defeated and alone he and his friends are ambushed by the humanoid Shanka. These are only three of many characters whose lives will change as the Union faces war on two fronts--from Bethod's army in the north and the Gurkish Empire in the south--and as their fates intertwine for better or for worse. What I liked: Inquis...

Elantris is not your typical Brandon Sanderson novel. It's a short stand-alone work, around the length of Neil Gaiman's Stardust . In fact, it was purposely envisioned it as a stand-alone story, though a sequel may be released in the near future. Sanderson talks more about this on his website page  FAQ: Will There Be a Sequel to Elantris . Elantris proves that Sanderson can write short fiction filled with both action and depth.  My previous attempt at writing a synopsis for this review ended up as four long, tedious paragraphs that barely touched the surface of this complex story.  Elantris was the capital city of Arleon. It was populated by demigods with magical powers. It was considered an honor for ordinary citizens of Arleon to transform into these demigods, until the magic failed, and the people of Elantris devolved into leper-like beings. Now, the citizens of Arleon fear being afflicted with the taint. The novel focuses on the sto...

Many of my close friends know that "Carrie" is my favorite Stephen King novel. I always talk about how that was the book that got me into reading and writing. However, I don't often mention that "The Shining" is my second favorite novel by Stephen King. "The Shining" tells the story of recovering alcoholic Jack Torrance, his wife Wendy, and his son Danny. When Jack finds a job as caretaker of the Overlook Hotel, the whole family drives up to the hotel for the winter. The former caretaker succumbed to cabin fever, and killed his entire family. Obviously, a foreshadowing of things to come, and Jack's family soon finds out why. Everything is fine at first. Jack even finds time to work on his long overlooked play. Then, Danny begins seeing visions. Danny has 'The Shining,' a telepathic ability that allows him to have premonitions, read minds, and perhaps more dangerous things. Unfortunately, his ability inadvertent...

Filipino ReaderCon 2014 is just around the corner so it's time for Filipino Friday. Here is my second entry for today: Here is this week's topic: As a reader, have you ever thought about writing a book? What kind of books/stories do you want to write? Or are you now a published author, and what compelled you to go fulfill this dream? How was your journey from reader to writer? How did you go about getting your book out there? As a reader, have you ever thought about writing a book? YES. I've always wanted to be a published fiction writer. That's the reason why I took up creative writing in college, instead of a more practical course like mass communications or journalism. What kind of books/stories do you want to write? Over the years, beginning with my thesis year in college, I realized that I have an inclination towards writing contemporary romance stories. So I'd like to write fiction (short stories, novellas, and novels)...

Filipino ReaderCon 2014 is just around the corner so it's time for Filipino Friday. I forgot to write a blog post last week, so I'll be posting two entries today. Here is last week's topic: Surprise, Reader! Hello, it’s the first week of Filipino Fridays 2014! Whether it’s your first time to participate or not, tell us a bit about yourself. More specifically, tell us about your favorite book discoveries for this year. Any author you started reading this year that you can’t get enough of? A book you didn’t think you’d like, but you ended up liking/loving? Any book series that you just have to get your hands on? Have you discovered anything new from Filipino authors this year? So, Hi! My name is Verne. I work as a writer and researcher for the Ayala Museum. This year is a big one for me. I recently submitted by MBA thesis, hence the lack of blog posts over the past few months. To celebrate this accomplishment--and finally get some writing done--I'm joining ...

Ever since I first read a novel for fun--it was "Carrie" by Stephen King, back when I was in first year high school--I wanted write my own novel. The desire to be a novelist was what inspired me to take up creative writing in college. But, for practicality's sake, and because lacked confidence, I chose to focus on creative nonfiction instead of fiction. The pivotal moment came when my fiction workshop professor told me to wait until I was 40 years old before attempting to write fiction, even a short story. It's true that I may have lacked the skill back in college. It's true that many of my block mates are more talented writers than me. However, it's also true that I lacked the commitment to focus on honing my writing craft. That, more than having a late start in reading and writing, was what prevented me from writing good fiction. I see National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) as an opportunity to make up for lost time and prove to myself that I ...