Review: The Last Kingdom

The Last Kingdom by Bernard Cornwell

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Uhtred of Bebbanburg is the hero of all flawed heroes—glorious and human, innocent and cunning. You root for him, cheer for him, cry for him, but at the same time, want to spank his bottom for being so irritating and arrogant. In short, Mr. Cornwell did a fantastic job in creating an unforgettable, complex fictional protagonist in a world where the Vikings fought the Saxons over what is now England.

In this book, we meet a young Uhtred, who was kidnapped/adopted by the equally unforgettable Dane, Ragnar the Fearless. Ragnar loved him like a son, and we see in Uhtred's relationship with his adoptive family that the Vikings, often portrayed as raping and pillaging heathens, also had a culture and religion as rich as the Christian Saxons'. The love between "father and son" was communicated so well in Mr. Cornwell's writing that you could almost hear your heart breaking as a grieving Uhtred shouts Ragnar's name after a pivotal battle.

The book is funny as well; Uhtred's narrating voice is as witty and sardonic as they come. I particularly enjoyed his repartees with Father Beocca, whom he secretly loves and respects.

I spent Christmas Eve reading this book. And boy, was it worth it.



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Review: The Seven Wonders

The Seven Wonders by Steven Saylor

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Steven Saylor never fails to amuse (and educate) with his stories. Some bits better than the others. Noticed that this particular collection is somewhat lighter in tone than the Roma Sub Rosa series.

Final rating: 3.5 stars



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Review: The Bull Slayer: A Plinius Secundus Mystery

The Bull Slayer: A Plinius Secundus Mystery by Bruce MacBain

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Enjoyed this as much as the previous one. The book entertains in the manner of Saylor and Maddox Roberts. Some annoying (but expected) Calpurnia scenes. Excited to read MacBain's third.



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Review: Roman Games: A Plinius Secundus Mystery

Roman Games: A Plinius Secundus Mystery by Bruce MacBain

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Pleasantly surprised at this one. Glad to have found a new Ancient Roman series that I genuinely like (read: couldn't put down). Pliny is not Decius (Caecilius Metellus), that's for sure, but I enjoy his character just the same. Excited to read The Bull Slayer.



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Review: The Forgotten Legion

The Forgotten Legion by Ben Kane

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Almost a run-of-the-mill Rome-has-wronged-me-one-day-I'll-have-my-revenge-story. Some parts are interesting enough to want to read the next installment. More interested in his Hannibal series, though.





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Review: The Winner's Curse

The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I didn't have high expectations when I flipped the first few pages of The Winner's Curse. From what I read on Goodreads, it was supposed to tell the love story between a Herrani slave and a high-born Valorian mistress. Now if this was set in Ancient Rome/Greece/etc., I would've read it with lowered eyebrows. But then again, maybe not, as love stories of this kind usually end up being maudlin (hello, Christian Historical Fiction). The reviews on Goodreads didn't help, showing memes of balls, love scenes from teen films, and whatnots. All these set in a high fantasy world? I didn't think so.

But I gave the book I try (after all, I gave Red Rising a chance and I enjoyed it), and whoa, the reviewers were right. The love story was tolerable—well more than tolerable, to be fair. No icky moments between mistress and slave. Instead, the whole love thing was understated, like a current that could explode any minute. While there was no "explosion" (and I was actually a little bit disappointed haha), I guess we have Book 2 for that. Thank the Herrani gods for trilogies.

What took my breath away though, was the author's exquisite world-building (thanks Goodreads reviewers for introducing me to this term). It was an excellent "retelling" of the Greco-Roman period (after Rome conquered Greece), a period in history which I'm unabashedly biased toward. I loved the author's little details on the Valorian (Roman) and Herrani (Greek) cultures—these only go to show how much the author loves her history and how she can create an entirely new world out of this fascination.

Final rating: 4.5 stars



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Review: The Sister Queens

The Sister Queens by Sophie Perinot

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I tried to read The Other Boleyn Girl many years ago, but I never got around to finishing it. I don't remember why, but somehow I lost interest in the medieval setting, the neverending intrigues, etc. However, The Sister Queens proved to be a compelling read; it was realistic and nuanced and melodious—without being too grating. Looking forward to more of this author's works.



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Review: The Monster of Florence

The Monster of Florence by Douglas Preston

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



A compelling non-fiction (serial killer horror story) within a non-fiction (Preston and Spezi's horror story). Despite the chilling way Preston wrote about The Monster, I was more horrified with the prospect of having to face what Mr. Preston and Mr. Spezi faced in their beloved Italy. Because of this book, I'm having second thoughts with my dream of living there someday (which is so sad and disturbing, because I love Italy so much). Apparently what happened to them could happen to just about anyone. Sad.



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Review: Red Rising

Red Rising by Pierce Brown

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



In Ancient Rome, the mines are the most feared punishment next to crucifixion. That our Spartacan hero, Darrow, lives in the mines of Mars speaks volumes about where his story will go—and that Mr. P. Brown is an obvious Ancient Roman enthusiast. I say obvious because the Ancient Roman references in Red Rising are as in-your-face as slumdogs in the Subura. The blatant use of these references (praetor, imperator, etc.) left me stunned and disoriented for a while, and midway into the book I felt that it was getting all pompous on me (it didn’t help that I have read a lot on Ancient Rome).

But when I reached 70 percent, I felt that Mr. Brown’s second installment may deserve a read. Then two-thirds into the book—Redemption. Finally.

“Tactics win battles. Strategy wins wars.”—Darrow the Helldiver-turned-Hellraiser.

Brilliant tactic, Mr. Brown (or should I say, Mr. Gold?). Now let’s see your strategy for the rest of the trilogy.



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