A very interesting read, Harari’s thoughts on what the 20th century was about and what is still to come in the 21st century. Where the 20th century waA very interesting read, Harari’s thoughts on what the 20th century was about and what is still to come in the 21st century. Where the 20th century was mostly about overcoming famine, epidemics and war, the 21st century humanity will be more focused on attaining immortality, bliss and divinity.
This was written in 2015, so before Covid and the wars in Ukraine and Israel, I wonder if these things would have been of influence on Harari’s theories. The book offers excellent insights, Harari makes smart points about history and the book makes you think deeply about a wide array of topics, like technology and human biology.
Harari is a very interesting modern day thinker and his books give us food for thought....more
I liked “The Women”, but I must say I did not like all of it. I thought the first half was very good, it describes the chaos of a field hospital in thI liked “The Women”, but I must say I did not like all of it. I thought the first half was very good, it describes the chaos of a field hospital in the Vietnam war, very well done. But there was also a lot of romance in this one, and that was not so well done I thought, some of it downright cheesy.
I had some trouble connecting with the main character and all the drama was a bit much to take at times. I still ended up giving it four stars, because the Vietnam chapters were really good and I did really like the last 50 pages and the ending, that was really, really good.
The message is strong, a call to remember not just the men but also the women who sacrificed so much for their country....more
The fifth book in the First Law world was great, the very diverse cast full of outrageous and awesome characters is simply amazing. I love AbercrombieThe fifth book in the First Law world was great, the very diverse cast full of outrageous and awesome characters is simply amazing. I love Abercrombie’s writing style, he has quickly become one of my favorite writers, most notably because of his black humor.
"A war is no place for heroics, especially this one".
The Heroes is a group of stones on a hill that is surrounded by fighting men, it is the scene for some hardcore battles. War is messy, and nowhere is that more appropriately described than in this novel.
"The truth is like salt. Men want to taste a little, but too much makes everyone sick."
I recently started reading the 6th book, Red Country, and again I love it so far, I can’t recommend the First Law series enough, it is just so good....more
This book was kind of a mixed bag for me, I had a really hard time getting into it as I really didn’t like the writing style, it is a bit trippy and cThis book was kind of a mixed bag for me, I had a really hard time getting into it as I really didn’t like the writing style, it is a bit trippy and confusing at times, but after about 100 pages (I almost DNF this book but kept going) it became a bit better, the story came through a bit more.
The Native American vibe throughout the book is cool though, and there is a story there, it is not so bad actually, but in my opinion the writing style simply wasn’t good enough to really immerse myself into the story, and that is what keeps this book from getting a higher rating....more
This was a very enjoyable book containing many letters and emails that deGrasse Tyson has received over the years and his response to them, he respondThis was a very enjoyable book containing many letters and emails that deGrasse Tyson has received over the years and his response to them, he responds in a clear and calm manner, always respectful to the ones who sent them. It covers a wide range of topics, including the scientific way, society, religion and some very personal stories by deGrasse Tyson....more
This is the eight book in the Bennie Griessel series, a series of police thrillers set in Cape Town, South Africa and featuring veteran detectives BenThis is the eight book in the Bennie Griessel series, a series of police thrillers set in Cape Town, South Africa and featuring veteran detectives Bennie Griessel and Vaughn Cupido. Griessel and Cupido form an awesome duo with great chemistry, they have become more than just partners over the years, their relationship has been carefully crafted over these 8 books and I love it.
The setting of Cape Town, Stellenbosch and other places in South Africa makes for an interesting one, I have been to Cape Town once and it is beautiful. The colorful background of South African society also includes many aspects of its diverse culture, different languages as well as politics and corruption.
Although this book may seem somewhat long for a police thriller at 500 pages, it never feels long, Meyer has an excellent writing style, and the chapters are relatively short. The story is very good, at the center of it is a heist (always fun!) and the characters are well developed.
The camaraderie between Cupido and Griessel is great. They deal with issues like how to deal with the younger generation when you are slowly getting older yourself, and they have relationships which present challenges sometimes as well.
It is written in Afrikaans which is a language very much like Dutch so I read it in Dutch, my native language. But there is an English translation available as well, called “Leo” I believe, I recommend the whole series to be honest, the Bennie Griessel series sets the bar for police thrillers in my opinion....more
This was a good old-fashioned murder mystery. It took a bit of time for me to really get into this one, the mainly because I didn't like, and could noThis was a good old-fashioned murder mystery. It took a bit of time for me to really get into this one, the mainly because I didn't like, and could not relate to most if not all of the characters. I stuck with it though, and it did get better, some interesting twists and turns later and all of a sudden the book turned out to have a really strong ending. Nicely done....more
We Are Legion is a fun Science Fiction story, the writing is alright but not top-notch, it is all about the originality of the story here and its inteWe Are Legion is a fun Science Fiction story, the writing is alright but not top-notch, it is all about the originality of the story here and its interesting sci-fi concepts, like the Von Neumann Probes and other ideas about how to scout out the galaxy around us. I enjoyed it and will definitely seek out the other books in “The Bobiverse” ...more
There are many, many reviews out there for this one, so I'm gonna keep it short. At 1153 pages it is quite a time investment, but King's writing styleThere are many, many reviews out there for this one, so I'm gonna keep it short. At 1153 pages it is quite a time investment, but King's writing style is such that I never felt bored.
It is a harrowing tale about how a deadly virus rips through the United States and leaves a desolate landscape full of dead people and no structure or organization. I do love stories set in a post-apocalytic world and here the main, overarching story was pretty good but not great in my opinion.
I thought its strength lay more in the personal tales, the wonderful characters of which there are plenty in The Stand. My favorite was probably Tom Cullen (M-O-O-N, that spells wonderful, laws yes, everybody knows that! :-)
All in all I really enjoyed reading The Stand, there is enough here to warrant a five star rating, but it does not rank among my favorite King books, those are still The Shining, Pet Sematary and 11/22/63....more
This is part three in Tom Holland’s “History of Rome” series, and again a good book, enjoyable to read. It spans the time from the year of the four emThis is part three in Tom Holland’s “History of Rome” series, and again a good book, enjoyable to read. It spans the time from the year of the four emperors (69 AD), it deals with the Flavian emperors all the way to the emperors that are considered the good ones, like Trajan and Hadrian. It all comes to life quite well. Part one in the series, Rubicon, remains my favorite though....more
The Whisper Man was quite a good thriller, pacy and with enough twists to keep you going. Tom Kennedy and his young son just moved to a new town, not The Whisper Man was quite a good thriller, pacy and with enough twists to keep you going. Tom Kennedy and his young son just moved to a new town, not knowing about the history the town has, including a killer who was caught a long time ago, a killer who goes by the name “The Whisper Man”....more
Dynasty is part two of the History of Rome series by Tom Holland, it focuses on the Julio-Claudian family, of which the first 5 Roman emperors where aDynasty is part two of the History of Rome series by Tom Holland, it focuses on the Julio-Claudian family, of which the first 5 Roman emperors where a part of, from Augustus Caesar until Nero. That family was something else, with its incredible infighting, the terrible intrigue, the inbreeding, and many over-the-top family members.
Fifth emperor Nero really stood out, the man did so many horrible things, even if half of what he was accused of is true. All in all it is just a fascinating read, start to finish, well written too. Next up is part three, Pax, when Holland focuses on the aftermath of Nero and his family and the emperors that came next.
I also wanted to give a shout-out to the “Rest is History” podcast, by Tom Holland with his fellow historian Dominic Sandbrook, a very enjoyable history podcast I listen to a lot, very much recommended (on Spotify or any other podcast app)....more
Best Served Cold is an epic story about revenge, it is a wild ride, and in my opinion it is Grimdark Fantasy at its best.
"Never fear your enemies, VerBest Served Cold is an epic story about revenge, it is a wild ride, and in my opinion it is Grimdark Fantasy at its best.
"Never fear your enemies, Verturio wrote, but your friends always."
In this story we follow Monza Murcatto, she is a fearless mercenary leader, but she is betrayed by her employer the powerful Grand Duke Orso of Styria. What follows next is an exciting quest for revenge, tracking the ones responsible and an explosion of violence.
There is a large amount of colorful and unique characters in this book, as I have become accustomed to with Joe Abercrombie. The way they interact with each other and all with their idiosyncrasies is great to read, reminds me of the amazing characters created by Robert McCammon in the Matthew Corbett series, and this is high praise since that is my favorite book series out there at the moment.
Abercrombie's writing is creative, colorful, and evil at times :-) My favorite character was perhaps Nicomo Cosca with his smart remarks: "I've always had a lot of powerful enemies. I consider it a point of pride. Listing them makes for excellent dinner conversation.”
The scene at Cardotti's House of Leisure was completely wild and absolutely brilliant. This scene reminded me of a Quentin Tarantino movie, wild, violent, funny and thoroughly entertaining. Truly epic stuff.
A lot of characters have made their first appearance in the First Law trilogy already, so even though this could be read as a standalone novel it is highly recommended that you read the First Law trilogy first, which is brilliant as well.
I love Abercrombie's writing style, he is fast becoming one of my favorite writers, especially in the Fantasy genre, I am very much looking forward to the next book in the First Law world....more
Michel van Egmond loopt al zo lang mee in de voetballerij, en heeft zo'n specifieke kijk op zaken dat deze zeven leuke voetbalverhalen een enorme lawiMichel van Egmond loopt al zo lang mee in de voetballerij, en heeft zo'n specifieke kijk op zaken dat deze zeven leuke voetbalverhalen een enorme lawine van leuke anecdotes oplevert.
Hij vertelt alles met zijn typische droge humor en sommige verhalen zijn niet alleen grappig maar gaven mij ook een sterk gevoel van nostalgie. Erg leuk boek....more
On the road again, Reacher gets stuck between the towns of Hope and Despair. What is going on in Despair, what are they trying to hide, it is a mysterOn the road again, Reacher gets stuck between the towns of Hope and Despair. What is going on in Despair, what are they trying to hide, it is a mystery Reacher can’t let go and must investigate.
"Everyone's life needed an organizing principle, and relentless forward motion was Reacher's."
I am always pleasantly surprised at what a perceptive man Lee Child must be, that is what the many factoids in his books suggest, I like that. The action scenes are good as always, and I enjoyed the story, it did feel a bit long maybe at 550 pages but a good book nonetheless....more
An imaginative take on the Arthurian Legends, epic in scale and a very enjoyable read.
Cornwell paints a grim picture of what post-Roman Britain must hAn imaginative take on the Arthurian Legends, epic in scale and a very enjoyable read.
Cornwell paints a grim picture of what post-Roman Britain must have been like, with its intricate politics, tribal infighting and the looming Saxon invasions as well as the clash between the old faith and Christianity.
Warlord Arthur has to navigate these dangerous waters, as a sworn protector of the one true king Mordred. Cornwell writes well, and especially the battle scenes come out really well.
It was great to see so many well known characters from Arthurian Legends paraded around and Cornwell has a fresh take on most of them, some of it surprising but great fun, especially poor Lancelot comes out really bad in this book.
Among the many characters we have Arthur, Guinevere, Lancelot, Galahad, Tristan, Bors, Lanval, Morgan Le Fay, Merlin, Nimue, Cei (Kay), Uther, Sagramor and Mordred.
Some scenes stood out to me, for instance the excursion into the Isle of the Dead was great. Also, I thought Merlin was both mysterious and interesting with his quest for the treasures of the old faith. He is also portrayed differently than you might be used to.
All in all, I thought this was a great read, a very enjoyable take on Arthurian Legend and I will definitely read the other two books in this series soon. I am very much into King Arthur at the moment, he is a fascinating figure, real or not. So if you know of any other great books about this subject leave them in the comments section....more
The Great Alone is a very good book, a moving read in a beautiful setting.
"Alaska isn't about who you were when you headed this way. It's about who yoThe Great Alone is a very good book, a moving read in a beautiful setting.
"Alaska isn't about who you were when you headed this way. It's about who you become. You are out here in the wild, girls. That isn't some fable or fairy tale. It's real. Hard."
I did find some parts of the book tough to read, the many different hardships, the family dynamics and the fear for a certain somebody that Leni felt, so real and uncomfortable to read at times.
Kristin Hannah sure makes Alaska sound beautiful, can't wait to go there one time: "It was otherworldly somehow, magical in its vast expanse, an incomparable landscape of soaring glacier-filled white mountains that ran the length of the horizon, knife-tip points pressed high into a cloudless cornflower-blue sky."
It is quite a story coming at you, I enjoyed most of it. I think this book will stay with me for a while.
"In the vast expanse of this unpredictable wilderness, you will either become your best self and flourish, or you will run away, screaming, from the dark and the cold and the hardship. There is no middle ground, no safe place; not here, in the Great Alone."...more
What is going on in that secluded orphanage in the valley? Something dark and terrible, that's what!
This is some very good horror writing, good pace anWhat is going on in that secluded orphanage in the valley? Something dark and terrible, that's what!
This is some very good horror writing, good pace and paints a vivid picture, pulls you right in and makes you care right from the start. This was a fast read and very enjoyable, good fun....more
The Guardian called this book: "Delightfully twisted and evil". Now that is a very appropriate description of Last Argument of Kings, it is very evil The Guardian called this book: "Delightfully twisted and evil". Now that is a very appropriate description of Last Argument of Kings, it is very evil indeed, very well written and I loved every chapter of it. In fact, I loved the conclusion of this trilogy so much that I currently have it in my top 10 books all-time, I thought it was that damn good.
The first two books were very good as well, such good writing, so enjoyable to read, but if the first two books were most excellent in setting up the story then Last Argument of Kings was absolutely brilliant in bringing all the storylines together in an exquisite finale. I really felt that everything came together so well here, top class writing, I absolutely loved it.
In this final book of the trilogy many things are not what they seem. There are some jaw-dropping moments and some awesome realizations, all carefully built up throughout the three books.
Possibly the best thing about this trilogy is the many different characters in it, and of all the parade of colorful characters in this series, Logen Ninefingers was my favorite, he may even be one of my favorite characters in any book series. His struggle between good and evil, the crazy situations he gets himself into and the language he uses, I loved his character dearly.
This book had some truly memorable scenes in it, described vividly and I lived through them intensely. I also loved the way that the different cultures in this world, represented by various characters all have their own lingo, makes the world that much more real and that much more interesting. And there are some excellent observations throughout the book as well.
"That's the trouble with ambition. It's easy to forget when you are always looking upwards, that the only way down from the dizzy heights is a long drop."
Joe Abercrombie has created a colorful world in this First Law series with outlandish characters and a very good story. If you like Fantasy then this is one of the best series out there in my opinion, highly recommended. I liked this final book of the trilogy the best and I will definitely get started soon on the rest of the books set in the First Law world, can’t wait!...more
Another really nice YA thriller by Karen McManus, I liked this one quite a lot, has a nice pace, good writing and enough twists and turns to keep you Another really nice YA thriller by Karen McManus, I liked this one quite a lot, has a nice pace, good writing and enough twists and turns to keep you interested.
After I read something that requires a bit more attention and brainpower, a book like this is perfect to wind down with. Seems a bit disrespectful maybe if I say it like that, it is not at all meant like that, I have enjoyed all of McManus’ novels so far and I will pick up her new book when it comes out for a nice and easy read. Well done....more
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