Rating: Recommended
Starlight Tour
by
Curtis McHale
I feel struck by the tragedy of the death of Neil Stonechild and the callousness that the Saskatoon Police had in dealing with the death of a first nations person. Really how they dealt with all the first nations people spoken with in the book. The police often talk about a single bad officer, but…
Warbreaker
by
Curtis McHale
In this part of Brandon Sanderson’s world magic is endowed by the consuming of the spirit of another being. While this doesn’t kill the being, this does leave them “drab” so they pass through life as just a little bit less than whole. Full of political intrigue and the bad people aren’t who you think…
The Good Enough Job
by
Curtis McHale
The main premise of this book is that workism is particularly American and a fairly modern phenomenon. Workism is the belief that work is the source of meaning in your life, and the author explores how work has come to replace religion, and any other type of volunteering, to become the main focus for everyone.…
Manufacturing Happy Citizens
by
Curtis McHale
This book explores how the wellness industry has built itself by telling us that we’re not complete without whatever trick they have to offer. One of my favourite insights comes near the end where the author states that happiness doesn’t fit into our lives now, we have to shape our lives around the ideas that…
A Day of Fallen Night
by
Curtis McHale
This is a prequel book to The Priory of the Orange Tree, which I read a few years ago and enjoyed. A Day of Fallen Night takes you back to earlier days of The Priory, and we get to see how the blood of the Priory with it’s magic is brought into a kingdom that…
Tress of the Emerald Sea
by
Curtis McHale
Tress is nobody living on an island so dismal that you’re not allowed to leave it, because no one would ever want to live there anyway surrounded by spores that can kill you if they touch water. Yup, that means if they get in your eyes they can sprout and you’re dead. Tress discovers that…
The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England
by
Curtis McHale
Going back to the old saying that any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic, Brandon Sanderson explores this concept via a infinite number of dimensions that can be purchased. Our protagonist wakes up not remembering who he is or where he came from as a side effect of jumping a dimension and lands where…
Invincible Ultimate Collection Volume 1
by
Curtis McHale
Here we get a long introduction to the heros and villians of the Invincible Universe. You’ve got to read to the end to get the big twist of the early series…no spoilers. Purchase Invincible Ultimate Collection Volume 1 on Amazon
Invincible Ultimate Collection Volume 2
by
Curtis McHale
In this volume we get to see Mark dealing with the aftermath of the fight with his father and get more insight into the Coalition of Planets. It both very emotional at times as well as light-hearted depending on the issue you’re reading. This is at least my second read through the series. Purchase Invincible…
Shadows of Self
by
Curtis McHale
This is the second entry in the Wax & Wayne cycle of the Mistborn Novels. Wax is starting to find his place in the city he had forsaken and Wayne is along for the ride. I very much enjoyed the development of Steris as a bit neurotic, but capable planner. It foreshadows the roles she’ll…