I liked the Who growing up. I've long been sick of them and just about all of the classic rock genre having just heard it ad nauseum over the years. II liked the Who growing up. I've long been sick of them and just about all of the classic rock genre having just heard it ad nauseum over the years. I have read about most of the other big names of that era from Zeppelin to Hendrix to Morrison.....down the line so figured it was time.
This was an audiobook read by the author. I highly recommend doing it in this format. Daltrey is a great performer and really adds to the experience.
He mentions Townshend has a book. I may need to read it for contrast. Daltrey almost always has a reason why his perspective was and is still the correct one, don't we all? But I have to believe after reading some of this that his band mates often felt very different on these topics.
Definitely worth the read/listen especially if you're a fan. ...more
I generally don't like fictional books about authors. The authors tend to romanticize the entire idea of being an author coming off as a little 4.5*'s
I generally don't like fictional books about authors. The authors tend to romanticize the entire idea of being an author coming off as a little girl going to a Taylor Swift concert and crying because hey it's Love Song.
This isn't that book which is why I love it. The characters and especially the main one is so fatally flawed, morally corrupt and a sadistic sociopath. Plus I say that and yet the author never went over the top making it a parody or an episode of Dexter or some other Showtime original.
Every time I thought this author would go cliche on me and ruin it he kept taking it in the right direction especially at the end when I thought here it comes the moral redemption. Nope. Beyond Redemption.
Highly recommended even if you don't partake in general fiction often. This is listed as historical fiction and it is but it's not the focus but the backdrop. ...more
I really didn't see the point of this book which was disjointed and fairly boring from start to finish. The author is trying to be profound and philosI really didn't see the point of this book which was disjointed and fairly boring from start to finish. The author is trying to be profound and philosophical but it really falls flat. He also is constantly telling us about events not giving us the view from a real perspective. There never was a sense of danger or suspense that there could have been. ...more
This is really about one short investigation. If not for the section on Norad and Stallworth's short interaction with David Duke I would have rate2.5*
This is really about one short investigation. If not for the section on Norad and Stallworth's short interaction with David Duke I would have rated it even lower but those were somewhat interesting. ...more
Imagine a blog jumbled in a blender with wikipedia pop culture references all written by a teenage girl strung out on Mountain Dew creating a purely iImagine a blog jumbled in a blender with wikipedia pop culture references all written by a teenage girl strung out on Mountain Dew creating a purely inane story, set of characters and writing style.
The author half gets griefs and while it's different for everybody there were some that's not the way people react moments. The story also tied 2.5*'s
The author half gets griefs and while it's different for everybody there were some that's not the way people react moments. The story also tied up to quickly and neatly at the end. Life isn't linear. ...more
Entertaining and not your usual story or ending. It does drag in a few spots. I like her writing and the indecision she builds into the characte3.5*'s
Entertaining and not your usual story or ending. It does drag in a few spots. I like her writing and the indecision she builds into the characters which is very realistic. ...more
A lot more social commentary than most of the books I've read in this genre. This book tackles corporate avarice, global warming, outdated legis3.5*'s
A lot more social commentary than most of the books I've read in this genre. This book tackles corporate avarice, global warming, outdated legislature and other topics which all played into the demise of these 33 souls. The sea doesn't suffer mistakes lightly. ...more
It's impossible to read books about the holocaust and not be affected. This was a good book but in a category with thousands of title overall it3.5*'s
It's impossible to read books about the holocaust and not be affected. This was a good book but in a category with thousands of title overall it was in the middle. ...more
Grimdark: 2/5 – While there’s an allotment of despicable characters I think this was more epic than grimdark. To be GD, for me, you can’t just tell me somebody is experiencing grief. You have to take me inside their head and make me feel that grief. You can't describe a battle scene or torture. I want to know how that feels to the victim. "in his moment of grief understanding overwhelmed him", ok but what were the flood of emotions and how did they make him feel physically? The battle depictions as well were cut and dry. I would have liked more details into the gore, fatigue, etc.
Writing 4/5 – I liked the author’s writing style. He’s direct and the story flows. He’s a very sensory writer. Lots of vivid scenes and descriptions. He doesn’t have a lot of underlying themes or information dumps which require you to figure out where things are going or what the bigger picture is. I prefer both styles but find some authors try for symbolism and plots within in plots and either fail miserably or it comes off contrived. Ulff doesn’t go there focusing on his strengths.
Action 4/5 – The pacing was really good after the first few chapters and playing into the writer’s sensory style things move quickly.
Humor 2/5 - The author made a few attempts but one of the things I really like about GD is caustic banter especially in the face of disaster. There was never that laugh out loud moment where the wife or kids says what was so funny and I have to say you wouldn't understand or a wee bit too adult for you sweetheart.
The book starts out in the prologue with what reads like historical fiction. It’s really well done and visions of Westeros were dancing in my head. The places and names taking on a very interesting backdrop.
Chapter one totally switches gears with a scene which one part Hansel and Gretel gone seriously wrong and the other part once again reminding me of ASOIAF and the opening to that series beyond the wall. This was a second prologue of sorts as the next we chapters some other disposable characters are seen and never seen again but with the intention of introducing two main characters.
I was a bit concerned at this point that the author was going to be all over the map but things settled down. From here the action is nonstop in every chapter. For those who are action junkies preferring a quick pacing this will definitely appeal to you.
For me it was a quick and enjoyable read and I’ll continue the series but, and there always is when there’s a preface, for me what I want more out of the author in the future are those inner details I spoke of before. Don’t just tell me they’re in pain, cold, etc. A great book or author makes you feel empathy for the characters by showing you how and why the character is feeling those things. This was definitely a telling, a good telling, a good story but simply not great....more
Entertaining but not as enlightening as I would have hoped. Draftniks along with Patriot and 49ers fans will like it since it focus on the draft3.5*'s
Entertaining but not as enlightening as I would have hoped. Draftniks along with Patriot and 49ers fans will like it since it focus on the draft, and the Bill's Walsh and Belichick. ...more
Good but a little bit disjointed from start to finish. A few of the character decisions and emotions also seemed out of place. That said it was an enjGood but a little bit disjointed from start to finish. A few of the character decisions and emotions also seemed out of place. That said it was an enjoyable book and I overall liked the writer's style. ...more
Not being Jewish it's amazing how much of the history of Israel I actually knew and remembered. With all the focus in today's world on racism an3.5*'s
Not being Jewish it's amazing how much of the history of Israel I actually knew and remembered. With all the focus in today's world on racism and equality it's a sad focal point that after thousands of years this group of people are still on the receiving end of so much outright hatred. ...more
Part of me wants to give this 4*'s based on a great ending and some unforeseen events in the last 15 or so percent of the book. But for the major3.5*s
Part of me wants to give this 4*'s based on a great ending and some unforeseen events in the last 15 or so percent of the book. But for the majority of the book it was just a good story. There weren't epic scenes. I didn't love any of the characters. It just meandered along.
I do think fans of old school fantasy will really like this in terms of storytelling and writing. However there is a distinct grimdark flavor to the book which is a bit of contraction to an extent. I think that's what kept me engage.
Also having read Wooding's Ketty Jay series I expected a bit more banter between the characters. I get that was a much more whimsical series but where that series had it's dark moments to contrast the humor this one needed a bit more humor to contrast the darkness.
I don't want to be too negative as it was a good story. I just think the author could have done a few things differently to give the sense of danger more context, the humor something more than what Grub offered to contrast the story and a bit more upbeat pacing to round things out.
Maybe it's just because I hadn't read and Uhtred in a while but that was the best in some time. I thought book 10 was the perfect place to end it and Maybe it's just because I hadn't read and Uhtred in a while but that was the best in some time. I thought book 10 was the perfect place to end it and had lamented the continuation of the series being more about not killing the cash cow. This book made it worth being wrong. ...more
It was a good overview of his life. You forget everything he was in over the years and totality is impressive. I do wish there was a lot more day to dIt was a good overview of his life. You forget everything he was in over the years and totality is impressive. I do wish there was a lot more day to day details with on location stories, etc. ...more
If you liked book one you'll like this one. If you didn't you'll be bored and probably drop the series. If you love magic systBook 1: 3.5* Book 2: 3.5*
If you liked book one you'll like this one. If you didn't you'll be bored and probably drop the series. If you love magic systems and deductive reasoning this is a great series. If you don't it's not the series for you. The magic system focus is like Sanderson on steroids. The deductive reasoning the same analogy for mystery books.
It's really that simply. The main character thinks like I do over analyzing everything and breaking it apart logically. So I get him and thus I like the series and will continue it. ...more
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