Aidan Scott

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Aidan is Currently Reading

Aidan Scott is currently reading

The Black Prism (Lightbringer, #1)

by Brent Weeks (Goodreads Author)

bookshelves: currently-reading

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progress:

(page 53 of 629)
— 20 hours, 53 min ago

Apr 15, 2026 03:30PM

Aidan Scott is currently reading

A Sea of Skulls (Arts of Dark and Light #2)

by Vox Day

bookshelves: arts-of-dark-and-light, fantasy, military, currently-reading

Reading for the 3rd time

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Aidan Scott said: " Those of you who aren't reading this series because you don't like Vox's political views, I get it! I really do! But if you are skipping out on this series because you don't like the guy, you are robbing yourself of reading one of the greatest epic f Those of you who aren't reading this series because you don't like Vox's political views, I get it! I really do! But if you are skipping out on this series because you don't like the guy, you are robbing yourself of reading one of the greatest epic fantasy series of all time, and the one that will probably go down as the best of the century!

This was an absolutely PHENOMENAL book from start to finish! Better than the first in the series! The depth of worldbuilding found in here is rivaled only by Erikson's Malazan, Greenwood's Forgotten Realms, Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire, and Tolkien's Middle-Earth. Nobody has yet beaten Tolkien. And in my opinion, nobody ever will. Day hasn't beaten the world of Malazan in my opinion either, though AODAL is certainly the better series overall. But Day has certainly surpassed Forgotten Realms in depth, even if Day's world isn't as huge, and has, after this book, surpassed Martin's work in quality and scope, even if we're only considering the first 3 books in ASOIAF since the last 2 are simply nowhere near as good.

There was something that occurred to me regarding the general perception of worldbuilding in fantasy books: I was reading through Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn concurrently, which is praised by many as having some of the greatest worldbuilding of all time. And while Mistborn is justly praised for its really strong worldbuilding, it lacked depth, and that was especially noticeable while reading Arts of Dark and Light, which has entire cultures, races, religions, even words for different languages fleshed out, and in great detail. "A Sea of Skulls" operates on an entirely different level of depth and complexity from worlds that are considered the best by most people. This comparison, though perhaps unfair given the differences in subgenre, highlights the exceptional quality of Day's work in this regard.

The strengths of the first book continue to shine in this sequel. The characters are well-developed and multifaceted, the world is rife with intrigue, and the overarching plot is compelling, culminating in an electric final battle that pits multiple armies, races, and perspective characters against each other, and, by the end, a traitor is exposed. One aspect that particularly stands out is the author's grasp of battle tactics and strategy. It's rare to find an epic fantasy author that shows a coherent understanding of medieval warfare, especially these days, with the notable exception of Joe Abercrombie (But even he's not on Day's level). While Vox's prose may not be the strongest element of his writing, it remains solid and serves the story well.

This series reminds me a lot of HBO's "Rome" in terms of its dialogue and characters, though I'm not entirely sure why. The style of both series is entirely different, and not just because they're different mediums. Perhaps it's due to the fantastical reimagining of the fall of the Roman Empire, or simply the sheer strength and variety of the characters on display in both that gave me this impression. I was disheartened that we only got 2 seasons of Rome, but for fans of that series, "Arts of Dark and Light" may fill the void left by its premature end. Although, it admittedly lacks a dynamic duo comparable to Titus Pullo and Lucius Vorenus.

One major criticism I have with the book, at least the hardcover edition, is the quality of editing. I found several instances of grammatical and punctuation errors (such as missing words, quotation marks, etc.), particularly in the first 300 pages, which were distracting and below the standard set by the previous book. This is something I hope, and have no doubts, will be addressed in future publications. Still, the problem exists and needs to be mentioned for those looking to buy a copy. It might be best to wait a month or two if you don't want any blemishes. Though relatively minor, this is inexcusable as you will rarely find these many errors in most currently published works, even the bad ones.

My biggest worry right now, based on what I've heard, is that Day might be cutting the series short. Originally, this series was planned for 4-5 books, but it might end up being just 3 (excluding the Summa Elvetica). The next book in the series will be titled "A Grave of Gods," which is revealed at the end of the book, page 755. So far, from what I can tell, there is no mention of a fourth book after that, and from what I know, Vox has said he wants to end the series sooner because he doesn't want to lose his fastball before he's done writing AODAL (something that has clearly happened to George R.R. Martin). While I understand this line of reasoning, if the next book in the series ends up being the finale, I'm going to be seriously bummed because I doubt that, with all these plot threads, Vox will be able to wrap it all up in a satisfying way with just one more book. Still, this is a series worth reading and at least it'll have an ending, unlike Martin's work.

Bottom line: Objectively, this series is already better than "A Song of Ice and Fire" and it will remain that way assuming it doesn't deviate in quality in a similar manner as Martin's series did. It's better than Sanderson's A Way of Kings, better than Erikson's Malazan (as far as I've read), and has somehow even surpassed Abercrombie's First Law. The only series better than AODAL is Lord of the Rings, and Vox Day WILL NOT beat Tolkien. It's not going to happen, BUT... if he keeps this up, he might just find himself moving from "pretty good author" to "one of the greats" territory, alongside writers like Mieville, Stephenson, and Weir.

So, do yourself a favor. Put aside what you might think about the author and give this series a shot. You can thank me later.

P.S. If you're reading this, Vox (or whoever's in charge of editing), please, PLEASE fix those grammar issues in the next printing. And give us at least two more books. That's all I ask! ...more "

progress:

(28%)
— 20 hours, 51 min ago

Mar 24, 2026 06:50AM · see review

Aidan Scott is currently reading

Clean Code: A Handbook of Agile Software Craftsmanship

by Robert C. Martin

bookshelves: currently-reading

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progress:

(page 355 of 464)
— Mar 19, 2026 08:06AM

Sep 26, 2025 11:52AM

Aidan’s Quotes

“Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt.”
― Sun Tzu, The Art of War

tags: business, strategy, war

1963 likes

“Books are not made to be believed, but to be subjected to inquiry. When we consider a book, we mustn't ask ourselves what it says but what it means...”
― Umberto Eco, The Name of the Rose

tags: books

3248 likes

“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.”
― Sun Tzu, The Art of War

tags: strategy

2463 likes

“Appear weak when you are strong, and strong when you are weak.”
― Sun Tzu, The Art of War

tags: deception, life, war

3919 likes

“Supreme excellence consists of breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting.”
― Sun Tzu, The Art of War

tags: politics, success, war

1354 likes

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