I'm back (?) and 2018 challenges

As mentioned before, I'm trying to get back to book blogging. I thought I was going to make a comeback last year, back to writing reviews (I started writing one, I swear) - but it didn't pan out. But this year, this is it!

So, what has happened in the last 5.5 years?

Well, I'm still at same job that lead me to read less. The job changed location one time (and will do again soon), I changed house twice, both times to be in walking distance to work, so no reading on commutes (this will change when job changes address). This means that my reading rate skydived to almost nothing.

Look at this! Look at 2013. I don't know what happened in 2013. 

So that's what happened in 2013.
55 Hobbits happened

I also (re-)started to read more fanfiction. So my reading kind of shifted from books to fanfic. Maybe it should count as books? There are some really lengthy fics out there.

Tumblr started to take more of my time, because it's easier to just reblog stuff instead of creating new material, right?

Got my eyes fixed (Yay!) and couldn't read for awhile. I tried audiobooks, and while I liked it, I still prefer reading.

Google Reader died (and I'm still not over it), and it meant that keeping tabs with blogs was harder. Question [to the void, maybe]: How do you guys now keep track of new posts?

Another new hobby is podcasts, which some can count as stories, but I don't really track as such. Ditto for the BBC dramatisations.

Knitting is also a new hobby, but I can't multitask it with reading (maybe I can with audiobooks, provided it is not a very complicated pattern)

So the result: A huge TBR list. Huge. Books to last me till 2035, assuming no more books are acquired, which is a very unrealistic assumption (trust me, I did the math. I have a spreadsheet).

Despite not updating the blog, I've participated on the Goodreads reading challenge every year (because you pledge early in the year, when you're motivated, and that's what new year's resolutions are for - stuff you end up not accomplishing).

Look at all these failed resolutions

So, this year I'll be participating in even more challenges, now with fancy names, because I really can't help myself. Here they are

• Pace yourself: Read 15 books
• Keep things balanced: 50% of books by female authors
• Polyglot: 1/8 of books read in Portuguese, at least 1 in Spanish, and 1 in Galician
• Orgulho Nacional [National Pride]: 15% of books read from Portuguese speaking authors
• Tame that pile: Reduce the TBR list by at least 1 book
• Out of my comfort zone: Read 1 non-fic book
• Read our own tomes (ROOT, a LibraryThing Challenge): Read 12 books acquired in 2012 or before (with a Fibonacci twist: 1 from 2012, 1 from 2011, 2 from 2010, 3 from 2009 and 5 from before)

Tracking will be semi-live on this page (and live on my spreadsheet).

So, yay to being back. Let's see if I can keep up.

Everything is tied in a neat Excel file that grew in complexity while I was not reading.

Challenges, Challenges, Part 3

Yes, one more challenge, but this one seemed too good to pass.

Fairy Tales Retold Challenge
Hosted by Debz Bookshelf



Basics
It goes from January 1st 2012 to December 31st 2012
To sign up, go here
You can sign up any time from now until June-ish
I would love you forever if you would follow me, and if you're interested in fairy tales, then you'd probably find my blog interesting anyway!

What Counts
Any retelling at all, or original fairy tales. When I say original fairy tales, I mean books that include many elements of many fairy tales, but aren't actually based on any fairy tales. Some examples are The Princess Bride by William Goldman or Princess Academy by Shannon Hale (BEST BOOK EVER!) Basically a book that should have a fairy tale based on it, but it's too late for it to be the other way around.
here

I'm going for level: Witch: 9 books


On a related note, I'm also doing a book bingo with some friends, you can see my progress here.

Challenges, Challenges, part 2

Just another one, because it sounded fun. Most categories are somewhat easy, but I'm having some trouble finding something in my TBR pile with a creepy crawly in the title. Maybe I'll have to (finally) get a copy of Lord of the Flies...

What's in a Name 5
hosted by Beth Fish Reads



Here's How It Works

Between January 1 and December 31, 2012, read one book in each of the following categories:

1. A book with a topographical feature (land formation) in the title: Black Hills, Purgatory Ridge, Emily of Deep Valley
2. A book with something you'd see in the sky in the title: Moon Called, Seeing Stars, Cloud Atlas
3. A book with a creepy crawly in the title: Little Bee, Spider Bones, The Witches of Worm
4. A book with a type of house in the title: The Glass Castle, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, Ape House
5. A book with something you'd carry in your pocket, purse, or backpack in the title: Sarah's Key, The Scarlet Letter, Devlin Diary
6. A book with a something you'd find on a calendar in the title: Day of the Jackal, Elegy for April, Freaky Friday, Year of Magical Thinking

The book titles are just suggestions, you can read whatever book you want to fit the category.

Other Things to Know

• Books may be any form (audio, print, e-book).
• Books may overlap other challenges.
• Books may not overlap categories; you need a different book for each category.
• Creativity for matching the categories is not only allowed but encouraged.
• You do not have to make a list of books before hand.
• You do not have to read through the categories in any particular order.

Challenges, Challenges

In 2010 I challenged myself to read 75 books - I barely made it, but because I didn't count the graphic novels towards that goal. In 2011 I decided not to do any challenge - this, until Goodreads decided to do the 2011 reading challenge. I chose 80, because it was about the number of books I had read the year before (with graphic novels, that is). I have completed it (I am, at the moment, at 84 books read and I hope to get to 86, or at least 85 before the year ends).

Next year I'll be back to the challenges. Not one, not two, but three!



Challenge 1:
2012 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge
hosted by The Book Vixen



Details:

• Runs January 1, 2012 – December 31, 2012 (books read prior to 1/1/12 do not count towards the challenge). You can join at anytime. Sign up on The Book Vixen’s blog.
• The goal is to outdo yourself by reading more books in 2012 than you did in 2011. See the different levels below and pick the one that works best for you. Nothing is set in stone; you can change levels at any time during the challenge.
• Books can be any format (bound, eBook, audio).
• Re-reads and crossovers from other reading challenges are allowed.
• Grab the reading challenge button and post this reading challenge on your blog to track your progress. Please include a link back to this sign-up post so others can join the reading challenge too. You do not have to be a book blogger to participate; you could track your progress on Goodreads or LibraryThing.

I'm going for level: Out of breath – Read 6–10 more books
Which means, I'm challenging myself to read 96 books (supposing I read 86 this year). Why 96?, well, I quite like the number, that's it!


Challenge 2:
Off The Shelf 2012
hosted by Bookish Ardour



The Deets

• The Main Rule: Do not include books acquired during 2012, it defeats the purpose, read those books from before 2012 started!
• Running Dates: 1st of January – 31st of December 2012
• When Can I Sign Up: All the way up to the last two weeks of December 2012!
• Crossover Genres: Anything! The name of the game is to turn those unread books into read ones.
• Mr Linky: To use the Mr Linky you’ll need to click on the graphic then enter your link. These will be updated and posted into this page every couple of weeks or so.
• Further Details: Crossover challenges are fine, you can change levels at any time, this is eBook, short story, and graphic novel friendly, and you don’t need a blog to join in (read further for details).

The How To

• Choose Your Level: These are listed further down and you can change levels at any time.
• Grab The Badge: Place it somewhere on your blog, profile, or in a signature where possible and link back (main page or this page, it’s up to you).
• Sign Up Post: Create a post on your blog, in a group, or on a forum (only if allowed) to let others see what you’re aiming for (a predefined list of books is optional).
• Link Up: Grab the direct URL to your sign up post, not your blog, click the Mr Linky graphic and enter your link!
• Blogless? Don’t worry, you can sign up with your social network profile (YouTube, Twitter, GoodReads, Shelfari included), just make sure you link to your review list, shelf, tweet, or category. If you don’t have any of those feel free to comment!

I'm going for level: Flying Off – Choose 75 books to read
75 books that are already cluttering my shelves. I have lots of those, so it should be easy, no? Combining with Challenge 1 it leaves still about 20 books that can be acquired next year.


Challenge 3:
Why Buy the Cow? Reading Challenge 2012
hosted by Reading the Paranormal and The Unread Reader



Here is how it works:

• Should you choose to participate in this challenge, your goal is to read at least twelve (12) legally obtained FREE e-books. While twelve is the minimum there is no maximum limit.
• Anyone can join. You don't have to be a blogger, and you don't have to live in the United States. 
• Any E-Reader will work for this challenge, including: iPad, Kindle, Nook, Kobo, Sony Reader, enTourage. 
• Please Note: If you don't have an e-reading device, you can still join in with Amazon's Free Kindle Reading Apps which you can download for your iPhone, iPad, Mac, PC, Blackberry and more.
• The challenge runs from January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2012. You can join at anytime.
• e-books in ANY genre count for this challenge as long as it was FREE at the time that you downloaded it.
• Every month in 2012, I will make a post for the Why Buy the Cow? Reading Challenge 2012 so you can link your reviews.  Based on participation, monthly link ups may be combined.
• Those that link their reviews will be entered into a drawing for a chance to win a different prize each month, such as an Amazon or Barnes & Noble Gift Card, a bookmark, or a GelaSkins for your e-Reader.

Challenge Guidelines:

• If you have a blog, create a post announcing your participation in the challenge. Please include a link back to this post.
• Non bloggers: participate by linking up your profile URL from the site you plan to post your reviews on such as Goodreads, Shelfari, LibraryThing, Amazon, or Barnes & Noble.
• When you post your book review, you MUST reveal how you obtained the free & legal download. Please make your source clear.
• You can list your books in advance or list them as you read them.
• Crossovers to other reading challenges is acceptable, but ARCs/galley e-books DO NOT count. Again, this is a Reading Challenge to read as many of the FREE e-books legally offered for your e-reader. To get started, check out the Top 100 Free books on Amazon, or the Free e-books on Barnes & Noble.
• Any linked reviews that do not meet the guidelines will not be entered into the monthly drawing for the prize of the month.

I'm going for level: Coupon Clipper: 12 Books
Yep, on this challenge I'm going for the basic level. It's not that there aren't plenty of free ebooks (I have downloaded tons!). It's just that this one goes a bit against Challenge 2 - I never count these freebies as To Be Read. And since they are digital, they don't really clutter the bookshelf, do they?


And that's it. For now... If I find any more interesting Challenges (that I can mash with these) I might joined them too.

Reading Challenge - 71 to 75

And here it is! The final post of the 2010 75 books reading Challenge. Only a month late (and because I forced myself to finish this today).

71 - A Sabedoria dos Mortos by Rodolfo Martinez [The Wisdom of the Dead]

This a collection of three stories, pretending to be new, unpublished adventures of Sherlock Holmes, that never saw the light of day because of their uncanniness. The author proposes that these have been written by John Watson, M.D. (not Arthur Conan Doyle – but there is an explanation for that), and that his job as been merely of translating the texts found on box in an antique shop in Soho.

Overall it was a nice book, it makes me wish I read more of Sherlock Holmes and H.P. Lovecraft. While I was reading I had some trouble in believing that John Watson could have written these stories. Not because he is a fictional character, but because it showed that the author of this story didn't have English as native language. Part of these objections where put to rest on the Translator's Note at the end of the book, but still I am unconvinced (especially having spend the entire book with those objections).

(4/5)

[Full Review]

72 - The Gift by Cecilia Ahern
This a book is something like a a Christmas Chic Flick. You know, the kind that comes out in the beginning of December, or that passes non stop on TV on Sundays afternoons.

It was a freebie, and it took me a long time to get around to read it because I was sure it wouldn't be my kind of book. I wasn't wrong.

It's light, and full of those special messages of being kind and good, and enjoying your family and your time with them. There is a bit of the story there but not much. The ending was clearly design to make the reader burst into tears – but it completely failed to do so with me.

It is also full of awful metaphors and similes that made me want to spoon my eyes out.

The only plus side is that is set in Dublin – and since I've been there, it was nice to read about something I know about.

(2.5/5)

73 - Scottish Fairy Tales by Philip Wilson

A collection of Fairy Tales, that I had on my bookshelf for ages.

I like fairy tales, but I might be too used to fairy tale retellings to properly enjoy a simple fairy tale. The stories on this book where nice, some were known, some weren't. Some repeated themselves, some were quite good. Common to all of them was the simplistic writing style.It was more enjoyable on a curiosity level than on a literary one.

(3/5)

74 - Seer of Sevenwaters by Juliet Marillier
Seer of Sevenwaters is the new instalment of the the once-trilogy-and-now-series of Sevenwaters. Even if I feel that nothing really compares to the first books on the series (which were the start of my love for Juliet Marillier's books), this book managed to surprise me in how much I loved it!

To me, it's a book of dualities. Two points of view, and also two parts on the story. The first one is recovery and getting to know oneself again. It's mostly character driven, but not without some action. The second part is about adventure and setting wrongs right. It's full of action and excitement. And all this dualities are so well woven one into each other, they complement each other, and you wouldn't want to have one without the other!

I loved this book, and even if I'm biased, I have to say that if you like historical fantasy, I really recommend Seer of Sevenwaters (or any other Sevenwaters book).

(5/5)

[Full Review]

75 - A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

This was a bit of a re-read. Only a bit because the last time I read A Christmas Carol I was a tiny lass (not that I am much bigger now), and the version was abridged. So I guess it could count as a new read. The reason for me picking this book up, especially at the time I did had very little to do with being Christmas Time, and all with Doctor Who Christmas Special (based on this story, and quite marvellous).

It is my opinion that you can never go wrong with Charles Dickens. A Christmas Carol is a very simple story - bad guy shown the error of his ways, and provided with a second chance. And it's hardly an unknown plot, as it has been adapted to all kinds of media (my first encounter with such an adaptation was The Muppet Christmas Carol).

I enjoyed reading this, not because it was mindblowing, but because it was well written, a nice story that you like because it is being told, not because of what's being told.

(4/5)

---

So here it is: Challenge Completed!

This would be place where I would post Stats and Stuff about the Challenge, but I've seem to have done that already :D So all that is left to say is that I enjoyed reading (most of) these books, and thank you for reading my reviews (and in some cases cheering me in order to finish this challenged): Thank you!

Reading Challenge - 66 to 70

66 - Minority Report by Philip K. Dick

This is actually a short story, although I have it as a book. A very small book, that can be read in a flash. But that doesn't mean it's light or simple.

There is much going on on this book. Not only it deals with paradoxes and alternate futures, there is also ethics and philosophy woven in it. The end is not surprising, but the build up to it is great, so much that there is no desire to put the book down.

I really wished that this story was written as a novel, not a short story, because what I got was a taste of something good, and I'd love to read more on this.

(4/5)

[Full Review]

67 - Castle in the Air by Diana Wynne Jones

Castle in the Air is a sequel to companion to book set in the same world as book written by Diana Wynne Jones where Howl also appears. I loved Howl's Moving Castle, so I really was expecting more of the same in this book. And I really shouldn't have because this book is not about Howl, and he is not even important to the story.

If I started this book with expectations of a story with the characters from the first book, by the time one of them finally appeared I only wanted to know about these new amazing characters.

This is a good book, one that I feel that everyone should read – young and adult readers alike.

(4/5)

[Full Review]

68 - Last of the Wilds by Trudi Canavan

Last of the Wilds is the second book on the Age of the Five trilogy. Priestess of the White ended with the aftermath of the religious war between the Circlians and Pentadrians.

What I liked on the first book is exactly what I liked on this one. The third side of the matter, the world-building, the different races, and the emotional struggle of the characters regarding their beliefs and their way of living. It is all there, and then some more.

[Full Review]

(4/5)

69 - Fictions by Jorge Luis Borges

This is a collection of fantastical short-stories, divided into two books. There is no connection between the stories, and not all of them are good. But a lot of them are great.

Borges does have a special ability to write about fictional things in a way that makes you believe it is real, no matter how fantastical it seems. There are stories of impossible books and inexistent encyclopaedias of inexistent nations, of men that are not men, of lotteries, of labyrinths and infinity and libraries.

These stories are somewhat philosophical, and they do make you think. I hope to keep on reading books by Jorge Luis Borges.

(4/5)

70 - Artemis Fowls: The Eternity Code by Eoin Colfer

It has been years since I last read Artemis Fowl. And boy, it's good to be back to that world of fairies and 12 years old (well, now 14) evil masterminds.

Artemis Fowl and the Eternity Code is a really nice book. Eoin Colfer's writing is quirky and the story is fun – you never notice that time is passing while you read it. And you don't have to be an young adult to enjoy it!

(4/5)

[Full Review]

The end of 2010 and of the Reading Challenge

My challenge was 75 books in 2010 - I thought it might be easy, but December was marked by small books and reading marathons, just so I could reach that goal. I think I used to read more when I was studying. Not because I had more time to do it, but because of the amount of time I spent on public transports.

The last few days were indeed a rush - I got to the point that I needed to read 3 books in 2 days. These last books were chosen to be read quickly: a book of Scottish Fairy Tales that has been on my bookshelf forever (and provided a good introduction to Seer of Sevenwaters); Seer of Sevenwaters, that a very good friend lent me because my copy is lost in postal limbo; and A Christmas Carol, because this year's Doctor Who Christmas Special made me want to re-read the original.

I'm also very behind on writing reviews. I'll restart writing them, now that the holiday confusion (and hangover) has passed.

I have no challenges planned to 2011, besides trying to reduce my TBR pile. Christmas wasn't as bad as I thought it would be to the amount of books to read: I received (only) 6 books, and 2 of them I've already read. My biggest challenge now is going to be reading in Spanish, so that I can get used to the language that I'll be using in the next 6 months (makes me wish for a Babel fish). I'm starting with The Cathedral of the Sea by Ildefonso Falcones (La Catedral del Mar).


But now for some stats about 2010:

This year I read almost 26 000 pages (almost 27 000 if including graphic novels). It means about 73 pages a day. 53% of the books had 300+ pages; 20% had 500+ pages. The average length of the books was 345 pages.

I averaged 7 books per month. The month I read more was March, the one I read less were February, June and August.

I enjoyed most of the books I've read: 68% were given 4 stars or more out of 5. 7% had 2.5 or less stars. 1 book was given 1 star (I didn't finish that one). 6 books received the maximum score of 5/5.

Top 10 Picks of 2010:

• Across the Nightingale Floor by Lian Hearn
• Goose Chase by Patrice Kindl
• Graceling by Kristin Cashore
• Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
• Lud-in-the-Mist by Hope Mirrlees
• Misfortune by Wesley Stace
• Perdido Street Station By China Miéville
• Seer of Sevenwaters by Juliet Marillier (or anything by Juliet Marillier!)
• The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
• The Map of Time by Felix J. Palma

Series that I've finished!

• Catwings Set by Ursula K. Le Guin
• Chronicles of Ancient Darkness by Michelle Paver
• Percheron Series by Fiona McIntosh
• The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
• The Stone Dance of the Chameleon by Ricardo Pinto

I want more of this series/author!

• China Miéville
• Douglas Adams
• Eoin Colfer - I want to keep on reading the Artemis Fowl series and the last book of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galax
• Holly Black
• Kristin Cashore - anxiously waiting for Bitterblue

Reading Challenge - 61 to 65

61 - The City & The City by China Miéville
The City & The City is the big winner this year, taking all the awards (not all, but the World Fantasy Award, the Hugo, the Locus and the Arthur C. Clarke, among others). And even if I didn’t find it mindblowing, I have to agree that all of these are well deserved.

I enjoyed reading The City & The City, and if another book is written in this universe, I'll definitely read it.

(4/5)


[Full Review]

62 - Shades of Green by Rhonda Parrish

Shades of Green is a small book, that promised to be quick – and since it was won through Goodreads I wasn't exactly sure of what to expect.

I liked this story, it was quick and to the point, and didn't really need to be any longer. And it was nice to be surprised by the ending.

(3.5/5)


[Full Review]

63 - A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

This is a science fiction children's book, winner the Newbery Medal in 1963. It is also one of the most challenged books. There are plenty of reviews singing its praises. With all this in mind I was really expecting to like it. But it didn't fulfil those expectations. In this case I know exactly why that happened: I read it too late.

(3.5/5)


[Full Review]

64 - The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time (what a big name!) is indeed a curious book. Told from the point of view of a teenager with Asperger's Syndrome, Christopher, it is extremely different from all the books I've read.

The book is quite is easy to read. The language is simple and to the point, and you want to read just one more chapter every chapter. When I reached the point where the book lost its charm, it was still easy to finish it – I just stopped loving it.

(3.5/5)


[Full Review]


65 - Tithe by Holly Black

There are a lot of books that stay on my wishlist for ages, and once I get them, they are the next book to read for an equal long time – to the point that I no longer remember what was it that made me want to read it so much. Tithe was on of those (although it didn't spend that much on my TBR list).

What I knew about it was that it was a dark fairytale. But it had a pretty cover, and was Young Adult so it thought it would be okay, and quite quick to read. And it was. And quite nice as well.

Tithe is a nice story, easy to read and like. There are two more books on the series that I want to check out – as well as other books by Holly Black.

(4/5)


[Full Review]

Reading Challenge - 56 to 60

56 - The Restaurant at the end of the Universe by Douglas Adams

The Restaurant at the end of the Universe is the second book on the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series, and it is much like the first one. It is a lot of fun, very silly, and very good.

[Full Review]

(4/5)





57 - Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder

I really liked Poison Study and, even if the plot was predictable at times, the characters made the book a page turner. I'll keep on reading the rest of the series because I really want to know more about these characters and this world, especially about Commander and Ixia.

[Full Review]

(4/5)


58 - Magic Study by Maria V. Snyder

This is a good sequel to Poison Study, the story continues where it was left off on the first book, with Yelena going to Sitia, ready to start to learn about magic. Of course, with Yelena being Yelena trouble does not take long to appear. This means that there is a plot full of action, danger, and Yelena doing what she does best – saving the day!

I liked Magic Study as much as I did Poison Study, it was a good follow up book, where I got to know more about the those two lands, and was presented with more great characters.

[Full Review]

(4/5)

59 - Black Sun Rising by C. S. Friedman
I had a lot of expectations for this book. It seemed like a good fantasy book, long and dark. But I just couldn't finish it. And that is a rare thing for me.

I made it to page 335 out of 589 – in the middle of an earthquake, where the characters have two options and both mean death, and close to the Castle of the Evil Guy – but I really have no desire to keep reading or find out what happens next.

[Full Review]

(1/5)


60 - Mordred's curse by Ian McDowell

Mordred's Curse starts with what I felt was like a slap in the face. It took me by surprise, both due to the language and the intensity of it.

After the initial surprise was gone, the book proved to be both enjoyable and memorable.

[Full Review]

(4.5/5)

Reading Challenge - 50 to 55

One of the goals I had with this challenge was met: I managed to write proper reviews, instead of small ones, for the entire Challenge post! Hurray for me!


50 - The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
The Hunger Games is a dystopian young adult novel, and, even if I'm slowly moving away from young adult literature, I love dystopias.

I know I will read the next two in the series, even if I'm expecting to be somewhat disappointed (from what I could gather from skimming the reviews for Mockingjay). With a more definite ending, The Hunger Games could easily be a standalone book – an a very good one at that.

(4/5)

[Full Review]



51 - The Map of Time by Félix J. Palma

I was expecting great things out of The Map of Time, after reading my friend's review of it. What I was not expecting was that it would be so good and marvellous – a strong candidate to The Best Book I Read This Year.

(5/5)

[Full Review]




52 - Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
I'm of two minds concerning Catching Fire. On one hand, it felt like a disappointment, on the other it pressed all the right buttons to keep me reading until the wee hours of the morning.

(3.5/5)

[Full Review]



53 - Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
Mockingjay is the last book on the Hunger Games series, a series which, in my opinion, had its peak on the first book.

Mockingjay was entertaining at first, but lost all of its appeal midway when the angst became too much – to the point that I lost all interest in it.

(2.5/5)

[Full Review]



54 - Graceling by Kristin Cashore
Graceling is a very good fantasy book, that seemed almost impossible to put down. And that smile that I had when I was reading stayed on my face long after I finished the last page. Truth be told, it comes back every time I think about this book. A fun read, and most importantly a great read.

(4.5/5)

[Full Review]


55 - Fire by Kristin Cashore

Fire is the companion book of Graceling, a sort of prequel set in the same universe, but not on the same lands, with different characters and different elements. In short, if it weren't for one character in common and some references to the Graceling world, it could have been a totally different book.

I liked this book, but kept comparing it to Graceling, which is not really fair. The book stands well on its own, it is very enjoyable, with a good plot, good characters and good worldbuilding.

(4/5)

[Full Review]