Botulf's Stone Blog

 This year (2022) I'll be starting a new series of annual posts here listing books I finished over the year and whether or not I recommend them. For books (other than poetry) to qualify for this list, they must contain at least 10,000 words of content or, if word count is uncertain, be at least 30 pages if primarily text or 100 pages if containing heavy art content. Rereads shall be listed apart from new reads.  Children's picture books will not be counted in my total due to their short length. I shall, however, list recommended picture books I read. I will not be assigning number ratings, as I have not constructed a system for weighing and evaluating my thoughts and did not take notes for that purpose as I read. If I feel the need, I shall write a fuller review of some of these entries. I made lists the previous few years as well, and if I can dig them out and recall what my feelings were for those books, I'll make a post collecting those as well. For now, here is the ke...

Reposting from Amazon with minor edits Abstract:  A great ending to the series. While there were some instances where the exposition or the author breaking the fourth wall that pulled me out of the story and some aspects regarding characters and the ending were unsatisfactory, overall I really enjoyed this book and love how Kotar ended his series. Definitely worth the journey. Content Warning (highlight to view):   frightening scenes, violence ————— I wish I could give a more accurate score. 4/5 just doesn’t look as good as an 8 or 9 out of 10. When I read book 1 of this series, I seriously considered stopping there. Despite some interesting ideas and world building, there were a lot of issues with execution and clunky prose so that I wasn’t sure I wanted to continue. However, there were some parts, scenes or character choices, that spoke of potential yet unrealized, and I decided to give the next book a chance. Boy am I glad I did! Kotar has truly grown as an author over the ...

Abstract:  My least favorite of the series so far, but still enjoyable.  The narrative is tense and fast paced, with interesting twists, though I can’t say all the plot mechanics were executed as well as they could have been.  I did like getting a story focused on Lebia, and I like how this story connects with the previous book.  The ending is especially engaging as Kotar preps his readers for book 5.  I’m looking forward to where things will go. Content warning (highlight to view):   frightening images, violence ——— We are back with another Kotar novella review, this time for his recently released series book 4,  The Forge of the Covenant .  I actually wrote this about a month ago for an Amazon review, and I was planning to put it off a bit longer, since I’ve had so many Kotar posts so close together.  However, this post is done (with minor edits since posting it on Amazon), and the others I have in the works are not, so here we are.  B...

Abstract:  A good if at times challenging read.  This series combines Arthurian legend, good prose, interesting plots, and likable characters into a strong series of children’s literature.  There are some elements, like certain ideas, I have issue with, and the ending wasn’t quite to my taste, but overall I really enjoyed this series.  The audiobooks are also very good, if that is more to your preference. Content Warning (highlight to view):  frightening images, violence, occasional language- especially in later books, some folk-related events that touch on the occult- in particular in book 3, non-detailed references to sexual assault and adultery in later books ——— I have quite a few thoughts to cover in this one, so I’m just going to jump right in. The Dark is Rising Sequence  is a five-book children’s fantasy series by Susan Cooper set in Great Britain during the late 20th century.  At the series’ start, three siblings  stumble upon an ancient ...

Just a brief note- on March 6th, Lent begins, and I usually fast from personal use of the internet.  This will be the last post until at least April 27th, if not May 4th.  In the meantime, though, I will be working on making and planning some changes to the site, so please look forward to those.  Have a good Lent, and have a wonderful Easter Sunday! Abstract:  A short, convicting book that makes a pretty good argument for receiving the Eucharist kneeling and on the tongue rather than standing and in the hand. Content Warning (highlight to view):  Very, very high church ——— A few weeks ago, I overheard a mother talking to her son saying, “The wine isn’t really blood.”  The grade-school child had just gotten out of his Catholic religious education class, and here was his mother teaching heresy in the school hallway.  For any readers not in the Catholic/Orthodox know, for a Catholic to deny that the bread and wine used in the mass really has been transfor...

Abstract:  This is another short but interesting novella from this series.  In this prequel to  The Song of the Sirin , some questions are answered, others are not.  Otchigen makes for a good focal point, with virtues that are also the origin of vices, and his story gives him a level of humanity that had been lacking. Content Warning (highlight to view):  some violent and frightening imagery, disturbing imagery, an instance of gross-out humor, demonic possession ——— I forgot that this was a blog weekend until a few hours ago, so here’s just a quick review for a quick read.  It’s also the last entry in the Kotar series for a bit (not that I have a choice, since the next book hasn’t come out yet).   The Rusted Blade  is a prequel novella to Kotar’s  Raven Son  series detailing the circumstances leading to the disgraceful absence of Voran’s parents, in particular his father, in  The Song of the Sirin .  As such, there are a c...

Abstract:  A book displaying Kotar’s growth as an author, but which doesn’t quite measure up as a whole to the potential of its parts.  Prose and character writing have improved, and certain ideas introduced in the world building grabbed me imaginatively and intellectually while also allowing the conflict to develop naturally.  Some subplots fall flat, though, as do some character revelations, but overall the multiple plots and characters work well together, and there is no wasted space to be found.  The ending might also be frustrating to some, but there is good payoff for the set up. Content Warning (highlight to view):  violent imagery, non-explicit sexual content, some frightening/grotesque imagery, some mild cursing, demonic possession ——— I don’t know when I grew so attached to Kotar’s world and characters, but I quite enjoyed  The Heart of the World , the third book in his  Raven Son  series.  Before I go on, THIS IS A BOOK IN A SERIES...

This is a revised post from my old blog.  The original post can be found  here . Abstract:  Espionage meets philosophy in the midst of absurdity as a poet infiltrates an anarchist guild to undermine its plans and save England.  The thrilling plot clips along within beautiful prose, and unlike many mysteries, this story remains engaging even on a second read with all the questions answered.  The characters are pretty flat, but whether that is a boon or a doom for this story depends on the reader, and the ending might not sit well for first-time or inexperienced Chesterton readers. Content Warning (highlight to view):  violence, scary images, occasional language ——— The Man Who Was Thursday  is an odd little book by one of my favorite authors, G. K. Chesterton.  A strange tale, a spy-thriller of sorts, in which darkness breeds danger, but does not, in which an investigation into villainous peoples drives the plot, but does not, in which absurdity is...

Abstract:  An interesting take on  The Nutcracker  drawing from both the original story and the ballet while expanding into its own story.  The characters dynamics are enjoyable, and Stefan’s coming of age hits well from multiple angles, and there the author does a pretty good job with a variety of themes.  On the other hand, the world doesn’t quite fit together and has a couple philosophical and theological problems.  The author also allows too much sympathy with the villains for their motives, and the push for sympathy causes some issues towards the story’s end. Content warning (highlight to view):   some violent imagery, questionable philosophy/theology, frightening descriptions, magic ——— Well, it’s Advent now, so what better time than now to look at Sherri L. Smith’s retelling of E. T. A. Hoffman’s  The Nutcracker and the Mouse King ? The Toymaker’s Apprentice  tells the story of Stefan Drosselmeyer, an apprentice to his toymaker father,...

This is a revised post from my old blog.  The original post can be found  here . Abstract:  Popcorn fiction with a philosophic glaze.  Pacing starts out horrible but improves, and the main conflict and the world are easy to invest in.  Katniss is frustrating, however, and the prose is more like watching a movie than reading a book.  Overall, it’s a fun, and eventually exciting book, though not deserving the level of praise it received. Content Warning (highlight to view):  violent imagery, swearing, alcohol, disturbing descriptions ——— I had planned this week to do a new book review, but I fell behind due to some things, so here we’ve got a return to my old not-friend:  The Hunger Games  by Suzanne Collins. Like most, I sped through this novel when I read it some years back.  The pacing is fantastic for most of this book (more on that later), and the concept is eternally intriguing.  Dystopia is the genre of our disenchanted age....

Abstract:   A decent sequel.  This is a short, but packed, story, engaging in its angle and developments if leaning on the generic side.  I didn’t much like one character, but the main character is interesting.  Definitely kept me invested in the series going forward. Content Warning (highlight to view):   violent and disturbing events and images, demonic possession ——— This time, we’ve got a short review for a short novella.  Before I get into the review, though, WARNING: AS THIS IS A SEQUEL BOOK IN A SERIES, THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR ANY PRIOR WORKS IN THE SERIES.  Now, onward. The Curse of the Raven  picks up some years after the events of  The Song of the Sirin .  Vasyllia was betrayed fell to the Raven and its invading army.  The country is now surrounded by a wall, and the city has fallen into destitution.  While there are hints of insurgence groups, the story itself follows Llun, a blacksmith and one of the last ...

Abstract:  A work that displays its author’s inexperience while still remaining interesting.  Characters are a bit flat, but the various conflicts are interesting.  Best of all is Kotar’s ability to capture a hint of the numinous in scenes featuring the titular Sirin.  Despite its rough areas, this book promises potential from the author. Content Warning (highlight to view):   some frightening images, sexual content, cursing, demonic possession ——— So eventually the plan is to move this review onto Amazon, but since I’m having some problems with that, I’m just posting it here for now.  In the final version, I won’t have a summary of the novel, since Amazon does that just fine, but till then, here’s my brief synopsis: Voran, the son of a disgraced noble family, is tasked to seek out the legendary “living water” in order to help restore his home, Vasyllia, to its former glory and to reunite the people with the mystical Sirin, creatures whose enchanted songs f...

Abstract:  Despite potential difficulties in keeping track of historic names and events, and despite the absence of scenes directly featuring the novel’s titular figure, this is Christian fiction worth reading.  Political and personal conflicts drive tension, and the tone is not preachy or cheesy but engaging and at times inspiring. Content Warning [Highlight to view]:  Physical violence, allusions to fornication, occasional gore, some language,  lots  of people doing terrible things ——— I generally avoid explicitly Christian novels.  You know, the kinds found in Christian book stores and labeled on Amazon and library searches as “religious fiction.”  I don’t have a long list of grievances or detailed critiques about them.    I can’t since I didn’t really read them.  After I entered my teen years, I just got bored after a few poorly done Christ figures and preachy stories, so I stopped reading the genre.  I‘ve never read more than a...