Book Review of "Mistborn #2 - The Well of Ascension"

 "Which is more potent? The pain of memory, or the pain of forgetting?"

The second book in the Mistborn Trilogy did not disappoint. The same superb storytelling, the same near-perfect character development, and the same unadulterated entertainment without any pretensions. It's hard not to rave about the intricately designed magic system - it’s just super fun to read. 

That being said though, the first half is maddeningly slow and slightly off-putting. But in a typical Brandon Sanderson style, the last 30% or so is a whirlwind of action and adventure and impossible to stop in between. So a word of caution - do Not get into the third act of this book on a weekday night unless you are ready to sacrifice your sleep! Overall, not perfect but a solid sequel to the first book.

Book Review of "Mistborn #1 - The Final Empire"

 “Belief isn’t simply a thing for fair times and bright days. What is belief if you don’t continue in it after failure?”

I decided to take the plunge into the famed Cosmere Universe and boy oh boy, the first book in the Mistborn trilogy is a superbly entertaining piece of writing! This is taking fantasy writing back to basics. No hidden philosophy or any satirical undertones. A story told very well, that’s it.

A likable, sympathetic, and feisty protagonist, her helpful & charismatic mentor (think temperament of a teenage Sirius Black with the skillset of an adult Snape) and a well crafted, all-powerful antagonist with just the right sense of mystery - the three pillars that make the Final Empire click. The metal-based magic system designed by Brandon Sanderson is unique and super fun to read. You might be put off by the pacing in the first half, but the second half more than makes up for it! 

“That’s kind of what trust is, isn’t it? A willful self-delusion?”

Book Review of "The End of Everything (Astrophysically Speaking)"

“The End of Everything (Astrophysically speaking)” is a wild, imaginative, and intense ride! The Author, Dr. Katie Mack, is a Theoretical Cosmologist at NC State University (my alma mater!). This book discusses the possibilities, the probabilities, and some insanely creative speculations about how the ultimate end of the Universe would look like. Think Neil deGrasse Tyson on steroids - the same enthusiasm, the same energy, and the passion coupled with an astute ability to explain complex, theoretical concepts in a fairly easy-to-digest form! 

“Beginnings imply and require endings.”

There is a slew of literature about the Big Bang and in general about the “the beginning” of everything. Not so much about “the end”. The ideas discussed in this book are mind-boggling and do bring out the contemplative side of things. The last chapter is particularly interesting where the possible mechanics of “the end” are put aside and the philosophical implications are discussed - still keeping the tone of the book as fun & informative and never getting preachy.

“Acknowledging an ultimate end gives us context, meaning, even hope, and allows us, paradoxically, to step back from our petty day-to-day concerns and simultaneously live more fully in the moment. Maybe this can be the meaning we seek.”

Just beware though - even though this book is under 250 pages, it is extremely dense. For an astrophysics layman like me, I had to stop and look up on Wikipedia a few times to get more context about the various ideas discussed here. But it was well worth it. A solid 4/5.

“Cosmology requires thinking creatively. This doesn’t mean fully unconstrained flights of fancy. You can’t just randomly make stuff up. But what you can (and must) do is constantly find new ways to look at problems to wring a little more insight out of whatever data the universe has to offer.”

 

Book Review of "The Power of Habit"

Even though the name makes it sound somewhat of a preachy book, the ‘Power of Habit’ is actually quite an insightful and engaging read. The flow is smooth and the narrative style keeps you engrossed. The author has; IMO quite skillfully; managed to walk a tightrope between explaining research experiments and describing their practical business applications without getting into too much jargon.

“Habits, scientists say, emerge because the brain is constantly looking for ways to save effort. Left to its own devices, the brain will try to make almost any routine into a habit, because habits allow our minds to ramp down more often. This effort-saving instinct is a huge advantage.”

A couple of chapters talk about how smart, data-driven, research-evidence-based decisions taken by insightful leaders literally changed the future of Target, Starbucks, and Alcoa. These stories are simply fascinating to read!

“There is evidence that a preference for things that sound “familiar” is a product of our neurology. ”

The last 1/3rd portion of the book takes the lessons learned from research laboratories and from businesses and actually makes an argument about how far-reaching & impactful social change could be achieved via the power of habits. Definitely makes one ponder!

All in all, a solid 4/5

Book Review of 'Exhalation: Stories'

What makes Ted Chiang’s ‘Exhalation’ - a collection of hard science fiction stories - a unique read is the contemplative and the incisive nature of his prose. Some of the ideas in his stories are simply mind-boggling and make you somewhat uncomfortable in a Black Mirror-ey sort of way. 

Nothing erases the past. There is repentance, there is atonement, and there is forgiveness. That is all, but that is enough.

‘Exhalation’ has 9 stories in total - a couple of them are essentially short novellas in themselves. Ted Chiang’s strength is the effortless world-building in his stories. In a few short pages, each story creates a world that is both familiar and unfamiliar with its own peculiarities. 

Even when we’ve experienced the same events as other individuals, we never constructed identical narratives: the criteria used for selecting moments were different for each of us, and a reflection of our personalities.

One of the stories from Ted Chiang’s previous book became the amazing movie ‘Arrival’ back in 2016. ‘Exhalation’ definitely has a few stories that Hollywood will likely cash on. Be as that may, if you enjoy hard science fiction, do give this a go. 4/5.