Worlds of Words
Exploring and reviewing the varied worlds of books
Welcome!
I write book reviews and post other book-related content. Check out the posts and explore these worlds of words with me!
You can learn more about the way I approach content here: Blog Guide
Troy (Stephen Fry’s Mythology) Review
Stephen Fry already reinterpreted the Greek myths about their pantheon in Mythos, and he retold the stories of Greek heroes with aplomb in Heroes. In his third book of his series, Troy, Fry tackles one of the biggest, most famous stories in history: the fight at Troy and its subsequent downfall. Is Fry up to the challenge to add something unique to this millennia-old tale? Can he make it relevant anew?
Darth Bane: Path of Destruction (Star Wars) Review
In the original Star Wars trilogy, we only see two Sith. In the prequel trilogy, Yoda makes that two-Sith limit even more explicit in his famous “Always two there are; no more, no less.” quote. But, why is that the case? In the Old Republic era, we have stories of massive armies of Sith and Jedi battling. Why did the Sith become limited to only two at once? What could this “Darth Bane” have done to reduce hordes of Sith down to a single pair, a master and an apprentice?
The Eye of the World (The Wheel of Time Book 1) Review
If you are like many epic fantasy readers (including me!), you started your journey with Tolkien’s influential works. For decades, other authors struggled to break through in the fantasy world–until Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time series came onto the scene and reshaped the fantasy landscape. How did he manage to pull off such a feat? What made his world compelling enough to draw Tolkien fans while creating something entirely new?
Heroes (Stephen Fry’s Mythology) Quick Review
Stephen Fry’s Mythos was an incredible tour de force as Fry broke into writing about mythology, specifically the Greek origin myths and tales of the Olympians. In Heroes, he moves on through the Greek mythological timeline to cover tales of demi-gods, monsters, and, most importantly, mortal heroes. Does this second book stand up to the quality of the first? Can Fry bring his humor and wit to tales that are often filled with tragedy?
Suggested Reading Order for Brandon Sanderson’s Cosmere
If you are planning to start reading books in Brandon Sanderson’s Cosmere, you may be a bit overwhelmed by the options and may struggle to know where to start. I have read most of the published Cosmere works (including short stories and novellas), and I have my own thoughts that may help you get started.
Of Kings and Killers/Of Killers and Kings: Dual Review
After the events of Of Dawn and Darkness and Of Darkness and Dawn, you would think that things could not ramp up much more than they already had, but Wight is able to crank up the scale once again in these conclusions to the Elder Empire series. The smoldering tensions in the previous books have blown up into a full-on guild war. Which side will emerge victorious? Will the empire survive? What happens if the two guild alliances are not the only sides in the war?
Deceived (Star Wars: The Old Republic) Review
In the Old Republic, the war between the Sith and the Jedi rages on. When the Sith deceives the Jedi and conquers Coruscant while in the middle of peace talks, the effects are not only on a large scale; the blowback ripples out to impact the lives of a young Jedi, a gray-market trader, and even one of the Sith conquerers. How do three such disparate characters deal with the upheaval? Will the actions of these characters echo back and amplify the chaos that was thrown into their lives?
Red Rising First Trilogy Series Review
What happens when a member of an oppressed class learns that the world he knows is naught but an illusion? In this sci-fi dystopian series, the lowborn Red miner from Mars, Darrow, experiences massive personal trauma and then has his world turned upside down as he learns how the Gold elites have been lying to his people about their purpose for generations. He must rise up to help his people, and he shakes the solar system to its core along the way.
Red Harvest (Star Wars) Quick Review
In the early 2000s, it seemed like zombies were everywhere. Books like World War Z, movies like 28 Days Later, and video games like Left 4 Dead pushed zombies to the front of the cultural miasma. Naturally, it was only a matter of time before someone asked, “What happens when you combine zombies and lightsabers?” The result: Red Harvest.
The Pilgrim’s Progress: A Readable Modern-Day Version Review
The journey of Christian from the City of Destruction to the Celestial City has been written and dispersed for nearly 350 years. Debatably, The Pilgrim’s Progress was the first novel written in English, and it has had a huge cultural impact. It has been translated into more than 200 different languages and had multiple derivative works created from it. Now, Alan Vermilye is tackling yet another translation–from English to English this time. He has rewritten this classic in more modern language. Does it hold up to the original? Does it retain the linguistic beauty of the original?
Of Dawn and Darkness/Of Darkness and Dawn: Dual Review
If you thought that Of Sea and Shadow and Of Shadow and Sea had lots going on, wait until you get into Of Dawn and Darkness (hereafter Dawn) and Of Darkness and Dawn (hereafter Darkness)! Deeper Elder lore, a guild war, character histories, and more await in these continuations of the two Elder Empire series. What will happen as the guilds start to take sides? What other kinds of dangers await?
Mythos (Stephen Fry’s Mythology) Review
Even if you are not a classicist, you have likely come across stories of the Greek gods and heroes. Modern Western culture is steeped in these myths with many words, phrases, and metaphors traveling from ancient Greece to modern English. If you want to learn more about the Greek myths, accessing modern translations of the primary sources is not difficult, and mythology collections litter the discount sections of most bookstores. What does Mythos bring to the table? Can legendary actor and comedian Stephen Fry lend his voice to tell the myths in a way that elevates them above the myriad other collections?