Book Review of "To Be Taught, If Fortunate"

“When the world you know is out of reach, nothing is more welcome than a measurable reminder that it still exists.”

“To be taught, If fortunate” is a brilliantly woven love letter to science. Yes, the plot is threadbare and yes, the characters aren’t fleshed-out in the traditional sense. But in this case, it’s not supposed to! Becky Chambers has fused the metaphorical and the SciFi aspects with utmost precision. The discussions about philosophy, morality, and ethics of space exploration and scientific experimentation are center stage as opposed to the usual aliens and “adventures”. The prose is beautiful and the tone is heartfelt and hopeful. It explores some of the most creative and fascinating ideas about SciFi in biology, evolution, and space travel. 

If you are in the mood for a book that reads like sipping a smooth drink in a cozy room feeling philosophical, then this book right here; this is it!

“We have found nothing you can sell. We have found nothing you can put to practical use. We have found no worlds that could be easily or ethically settled, were that end desired. We have satisfied nothing but curiosity and gained nothing but knowledge.”

Book Review of "I, Robot"

First published in the early 1950s, “I, Robot” by the great Isaac Asimov is super-entertaining, thought-provoking & surprisingly prescient. It is a collection of SciFi stories and the movie from the early 2000s looks like was very loosely based on one or two of the stories from this book. 

Compared to the SciFi writings of the 90s and the 2000s, I have always found Asimov’s prose to be dry and somewhat unemotional. But what it lacks in sentimentality, it more than makes up for by having very unique, original, and interesting story premises and conflicts. “I, Robot” is not an exception. A definite 4/5. 

Book Review of "Mistborn #6 - Bands of Mourning"

“The Bands of Mourning” turned out to be a mixed bag of goods. On one hand, it follows the “Sanderson formula” to a T, a slow first act, a slightly better second act, and an insanely fast-paced, what-the-hell-is-happening-over-here third act! But on the other hand, the twists are slightly predictable and the character development isn’t super solid - with the exception of one character that I won’t spoil. What works and in my mind, makes this the best Mistborn Era-2 book so far is the perfectly executed ending. It ties up the story neatly and still ends on somewhat of a cliffhanger. Overall, if you have made it this far in the Mistborn Era-2, you won’t be disappointed. 4 out of 5.

"How could I have been so in control as a youth, yet often feel so helpless as an adult?” 

Book Review of "Mistborn #5 - Shadows of Self"

“Shadows of Self” - the fifth novel in the Mistborn series or the second novel in the “Mistborn Era 2” has everything that you would expect from a Brandon Sanderson novel - crisp storyline, well-executed action set-pieces, at least a couple of well-rounded characters and one or more unexpected twists. Compared to “The Alloy of Law”, this time the stakes are higher, the scope of the story is bigger and the antagonists are deadlier. All in all, entertaining & engaging, solid 4/5.

"That’s the thing about having an eternity, kid. It gets really easy to procrastinate."

Book Review of "Mistborn #4 - The Alloy of Law"

“The more alone you are, the more important it is to have someone you can rely upon.”

When was the last time you read a fantasy novel that was not set in the usual Victorian slash dark-age era - the time of the Kings and the Knights and the houses and such. Well, here you have it! 

“The Alloy of Law” is a skillfully crafted, fast-paced, and above all - insanely entertaining novel that takes place in a world that has recently discovered electricity, a world that is getting used to steam engine trains. And Brandon Sanderson has managed to blend the magical and the fantastical elements superbly with this new “advanced” Mistborn world. 

I had read the Mistborn trilogy a little over a year ago and frankly, I was a little hesitant to read the next novels. I mean come on, the original Mistborn trilogy is a great work of fantasy writing. Well, no more hesitation - "Alloy of Law" was thoroughly enjoyable and I am surely up for the rest of the ride!

“The fact that most people are decent does not make their decency any less valuable to society.”