Anthony Levan > Recent Status Updates

This is like HARD fantasy. With its own weird rules and world building that they just drop you into and you have to figure out what a "mai-lantern" or a "fernwall" is through context. Using less archetypes that usually just fall into the standard LoTR style of fantasy.

I should have known when I opened it up and it had a fucking AoT ass map and military heirarchy line on the first few pages.

Really interesting magic system and take on mythology so far.

This is a comedic satire and Kuang's first real romance. Worried people will take how ridiculous and self important the main characters are at face value.

Interesting perspective with how people did casual research before the internet. How common, yet possible wrong, facts are formed etc.

My first Alan Grant mystery so it kind of feels like getting dropped into the middle of the series. But it's what Libby had so whatever.

Like Grant so far. Opinionated but not quite an asshole like some other literary detectives can come off as.

Takes a while for the mystery to get started.

Onward towards adventure

Let's talk about sheep.

Ears, slips, whale penises, sheep

Another Kendaichi book that takes place in a village in the sticks. With horrible violence against women again being a major plot point. Along with way too much unneeded inter-family politics.

Excellent small town paranoia vibes though.

The setting on the island is creepy and I appreciate the extensive world building around it. There's a bit too much family/branch family politics so far that almost put me to sleep. The actual murders are very grisly.

I also was interested in the post war status of normal citizens during this time period. Things like excess guns and military gear being common helped flesh out the time period.

Took a while to get started. Rolled my eyes at the framing device.

The first half is a frustrating read. The main character is so unlikable in her aloofness as well as her attitude towards being half South-East Asian. She assumes her whiteness would protect her and while she is proud of her mother, her shame/guilt of being half Cambodian oozes out often. I’m hoping this is just the way for the author to set up a revelation and not just… cringe.

"I forced my 19 year old niece/wife to life in a secluded mansion alone for the last 12 years, why is she so sad"

lol wtf man