Book Challenge Reviews

14 August 2022 - 4 mins read time
Tags: Reading

Recently I challenged myself to read 5 novels in 10 days. I’ve finished them now, although it ended up taking me 17 days! I liked that I had an extra reason to pick up a book; it was satisfying to mark my progress and see the bars fill in. Another win for SMART goal setting.

I’m not just writing this to pat myself on the back for reading a handful of books. I thought I’d leave some short spoiler-free reviews since, with them fresh in my head, I think I’m in a good position to compare and contrast. In the past couple of months I’ve started books in 3 famous fantasy universes/series so if you’re interested in exploring the genre this might give you a good place to start!

5. REAMDE

Essentially a nerdy action movie in book form. It hits all the notes you’d hope for, given that definition, and has a great attention to detail without being cringy with the techy stuff. However, it relies heavily on the (admittedly good) execution of action scenes while lacking a cohesive feeling story arc or strong emotional payoff. On top of this it was the longest book of the 5 at over 1000 pages which makes it a hard one to recommend.
5.5/10

4. Warbreaker

Having read a few other books from the Cosmere, I found I was a little dissapointed. It felt like a ‘typical’ Sanderson experience in a sort of cosy, unchallenging kind of way. Some trope subversion, proactive characters unearthing a slow drip of plot hints and a gradual exploration of the magic system culminating in a big chaotic ending. Still, a decent book overall and as a relatively short, standalone novel I think it would be a good introduction to Sanderon’s works.
6/10

3. Gardens of the Moon

Gardens of the Moon does an impressive job of involving and developing a wide cast of characters, cultures and locations. It has a large scope, without sacrificing detail, and while giving the impression that you’re only seeing a slice of the overall world. I found it to be heavily plot focused and sometimes a bit of a slog, but with many cool elements in play, I was always interested. I would recommend it for people who enjoy plot driven stories and thorough worldbuilding.
7/10

2. The Hero of Ages

The finale of the first Mistborn trilogy, The Hero of Ages was a satisfying ending to the series. Sanderson is very creative with the hard rules of his magic system here, in a way that makes revelations feel earned and gives the reader the chance to figure things out on their own. Let down a little by the nebulous primary antagonist, I would still heartily recommend the mistborn trilogy if you like the sound of competent, realistic characters standing up against impossible odds. 7.5/10

1. The Eye of the World

My clear personal favourite. An obviously Tolkien inspired journey, The Eye of the World has expert pacing, strong characters and an absorbing setting. It was a refreshing change from the more strict, relentless Gardens of the Moon and Hero of Ages. It elegantly endears you to its protagonists in a way reminiscient of, but in my opinion superior to, The Fellowship of the Ring. A classic feeling epic fantasy story that I can’t wait to explore more of.
9/10