Fiction

Excalibur The Chronicles of Arthur

Background

Published in July of 2024, “Excalibur The Chronicles of Arthur” is the first book in The Arthurian Chronicles series by Peter Gibbons. Set in Dark Age Britain, the novel reimagines the legend of King Arthur, focusing on his rise as a formidable warlord. After the fall of the Roman Empire, Britain is fragmented and vulnerable to Saxon invasions. Arthur, empowered by the druid Merlin and the legendary sword Excalibur, embarks on a quest to unite the fractured land and repel the Saxon threat. Gibbons’ portrayal emphasizes the brutal realities of the era, offering a fresh and action-packed retelling of the Arthurian saga.

Excalibur The Chronicles of Arthur
Excalibur The Chronicles of Arthur

My Thoughts

This is not the usual Arthurian Legend. Merlin hands the sword to Arthur and there really isn’t anything special about him. The book is violent and even brutal at times, yet it was well written. I felt it was true to the time period and Gibbons writes a compelling story.

Recommendation

This isn’t for everyone, but I’m excited for the next volume to come out.

A Calamity of Souls

Background

Published in April of 2024, “A Calamity of Souls” by David Baldacci is a legal drama set in 1968 in Freeman County, Virginia. The story revolves around a murder trial in the Jim Crow South. Jack Lee, a white lawyer who takes on the seemingly impossible task of defending Jerome Washington, a Black Vietnam veteran falsely accused of murdering his wealthy white employers. Faced with a biased legal system and the threat of the death penalty, Jack partners with Desiree DuBose, a skilled Black lawyer sent to help from the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. Together, they navigate a racially charged atmosphere, uncovering corruption and secrets as they fight for justice. Baldacci combines courtroom suspense with a deep exploration of racial tensions in the American South during the Civil Rights era.

A Calamity of Souls
A Calamity of Souls

My Thoughts

This book was difficult to get into but it was hard to put it down once it was in full swing. While painful at times, the novel explores much of the ugly side of humanity where hatred is left unchecked. Baldacci creates compelling characters and a non-stop pace keeping the reader engaged. As a fellow Virginian, I enjoy that Baldacci weaves the local area into his books giving me another layer of familiarity with his content. While the narrative in this book felt forced and even saccharin at times, it left me feeling very glad I don’t live in that environment of constant racism and hatred.

Recommendation

A good read.

The Original

Background

Published in 2020, “The Original”, co-written by Brandon Sanderson and Mary Robinette Kowal is a sci-fi thriller set in a future where clones are used for justice. The protagonist, Holly, wakes up to find herself as a replica tasked with hunting her original self, who is accused of murder. As she unravels the truth about her existence and the society she lives in, Holly only has a few days to find the killer and solve the problem.

The Original
The Original

My Thoughts

This was a pretty quick read and not the best concept. There were a few fundamental problems with the story that do not make sense. (Building clones seems to be a pretty wasteful and elaborate way to find someone and take them to justice. Add to that all the collateral damage the clone did and the story falls apart pretty fast.) However, if you are willing to ignore some of those issues, the book was fun and kept my attention.

Recommendation

While not his best work, I did enjoy it.

Infinity Blade: Redemption

Background

Published in 2013, “Infinity Blade: Redemption: by Brandon Sanderson continues the saga based on the Infinity Blade video game series. The novella picks up with Siris and the God King, once sworn enemies, now working together against a common and even more dangerous foe—the Worker of Secrets. Imprisoned in the Vault of Tears, they must find a way to escape and prevent the Worker from enacting his devastating plans.

The story delves deeper into the world’s lore, exploring the origins of the Deathless, the true power of the Infinity Blade, and the conflicts between magic and technology. As Siris struggles with his role as a leader and his fragmented past, he must decide whether to embrace his destiny or defy it.

Infinity Blade
Infinity Blade

My Thoughts

This book picks right up from the previous Infinity Blade, which was a touch disorienting having been away from it for a bit. However, I was quickly pulled in and enjoyed the read. I was highly interested in the existential crisis presented by a functionally immortal perspective. If you live forever, what defines your existence and what may be on the horizon? The ending left the doors wide for the story to continue.

Recommendation

It was a fun read, but be sure to read the first book or several plot points won’t make sense.

The Fault in our Stars

Background

Published in 2012, “The Fault in our Stars”, written by John Green, tells of two cancer patients, Hazel Grace Lancaster and Augustus Waters. The two meet at a cancer support group and bond through their shared experiences with illness. Hazel, who has terminal thyroid cancer, and Augustus, who is in remission from osteosarcoma, navigate their emotions through the lens of those who have experienced loss and stand to lose so much more.

The Fault in our Stars
The Fault in our Stars

My Thoughts

My thoughts were all over the place in this. Much of the book reads like pseudo-intellectual nonsense with Hazel’s seemingly constant irritation that someone may have a different thought about life outside of her nihilism. (That, at least, is true to the form of a teenage girl who doesn’t get what she wants.) However, Augustus is a less believable character because he manages to be all things to all people. Beloved by all and even able to bend the evil Van Houton to his will, I felt Augustus had too few human moments and those he had seemed over the top.

The subject matter was interesting as death isn’t a popular subject. More particularly, death by cancer isn’t seen that often in media. This fact likely has something to do with cancer is not a fun topic and can kill a conversation every bit as fast as politics or religion. I can say, with some authority, that cancer sucks! I know relatively little about the support groups and other help out there for cancer survivors other than they exist, but I truly hope they bring people comfort. Perhaps they are as depicted in the book, but I doubt I could find any solace there if they were.

Recommendation

It was engaging but I didn’t really like it.

Legion: The Many Lives of Stephen Leeds

Background

Published in 2018, “Legion: The Many Lives of Stephen Leeds” by Brandon Sanderson is a collection of three novellas (Legion, Skin Deep, and Lies of the Beholder) on his character Stephen Leeds, an exceptionally brilliant man with a unique psychological condition. Leeds does not suffer from schizophrenia but instead manifests “aspects”—each representing a different skill or area of knowledge. These aspects are fully realized individuals that only Leeds can see and interact with, and he uses them to solve complex problems and mysteries.

Across the three novellas, Leeds faces a range of cases, from recovering stolen technological secrets to unraveling dangerous conspiracies. As he navigates these challenges, he also struggles with questions about his own identity and the nature of his aspects.

Legion: The Many Lives of Stephen Leeds
Legion: The Many Lives of Stephen Leeds

My Thoughts

This small collection was a lot of fun to read. Sanderson does such a good job in bringing the reader directly into the story through likable characters and empathetic situations. The collection started with commentary by Sanderson on his writing process and how he found this project “cathartic”. I was glad he did.

Recommendation

Great read.

Infinity Blade Awakening

Background

Published in 2011, “Infinity Blade Awakening” by Brandon Sanderson is set in the universe of the popular mobile game Infinity Blade. The story picks up after the events of the first game and follows Siris, the hero who defeated the God King. However, rather than gaining freedom, Siris soon learns that his victory was only the beginning of a much larger and darker struggle. As he embarks on a journey to uncover ancient secrets about his world and his own identity, Siris must face powerful enemies and question everything he thought he knew about his purpose.

Infinity Blade Awakening
Infinity Blade Awakening

My Thoughts

I enjoyed the book right from the start. The idea that the book would begin after the quest was completed and the main enemy the “God King” was killed was a refreshing change. This was a relatively short read, but Sanderson did a good job getting plenty of information and story on the page. I have no knowledge of the Infinity Blade game, yet that wasn’t a hindrance to enjoy the story.

Recommendation

It was worth the time.

At the Sign of Triumph

Background

Published in 2016, “At the Sign of Triumph” is the ninth book in David Weber’s Safehold series. This volume brings the long-running conflict between the Empire of Charis and the Church of God Awaiting to a climactic conclusion. The Church, despite its overwhelming resources and global influence, finds itself on the verge of defeat after eight years of war. Charis, though vastly outnumbered, has technological advantages, a strong leadership in Emperor Cayleb, and the crucial guidance of Merlin Athrawes, a cybernetic avatar with ancient knowledge.

At the Sign of Triumph
At the Sign of Triumph

My Thoughts

We made it! This book takes the reader through the end of the “Church of God Awaiting!” Yet there is more. I have another book on hold that was written three years after this Safehold book was written. (3 years is an eternity to David Weber, a writing machine.) I’m excited to see what he wanted to tack on as the story was left wide open. I am very happy to make it to the first ending of the series.

Recommendation

This series was a lot as these are not small books! Still, there is plenty of plot and characters and very interesting ideas, particularly if you are interested in the evolution of military technology.

The Hunt for Red October

Background

Published in 1984, “The Hunt for Red October” by Tom Clancy, is a Cold War-era novel that follows the pursuit of a Soviet submarine captain, Marko Ramius, who seeks to defect to the United States with the USSR’s newest ballistic missile submarine, the Red October. As the Soviets launch a massive search to stop Ramius, American intelligence officer Jack Ryan is the first to discover Ramius’s intent and finds himself in the thick of the fray to secure the ship and prevent a potential nuclear disaster.

The Hunt for Red October
The Hunt for Red October

My Thoughts

It was a great book and a great movie. Of course the book doesn’t match the movie, but it is close enough to enjoy without too many issues. Clancy has a highly readable style to keep the reader engaged throughout the book. However, it does jump around quite a bit particularly during the action scenes. Regardless, it was fun to see what the original words were that inspired the movie. It was also fun to hear the commentary about personal computers from 1984.

Recommendation

It was worth the time. If you have interest, you would like it.

Hell’s Foundations Quiver

Background

Published in 2015, “Hell’s Foundations Quiver” is the eighth book of David Weber’s Safehold series. The conflict between the Charisian Empire and the Church of God Awaiting continues to escalate. Emperor Cayleb and Empress Sharleyan continue their struggle to liberate Safehold from the Church’s technological and ideological stranglehold. As new alliances are forged, the Empire advances in its technological innovations with Merlin Athrawes’ guidance, bringing the conflict to a critical turning point. Amidst political and military upheaval, Weber deepens the themes of faith, rebellion, and the cost of progress.

Hell's Foundations Quiver
Hell’s Foundations Quiver

My Thoughts

This one wasn’t quite as much of a push as the last Safehold book. Technology has progressed past ironclads and now has WWI style swivel mount guns. Shotguns are introduced, along with lighters, and prop propelled ships.

There is some interesting interplay with personality between Merlin and Namoo. The book explores how people can change given their differing circumstances. It’s a interesting take on the nature and nurture dichotomy.

Recommendation

In for a penny, in for a pound… I’m going to finish it, but you certainly don’t have to.