James T > Recent Status Updates

"The sarcasm made a slight whistling noise as it went over Loafer's head."

Elisabeth's prose is masterful, with vivid five-senses descriptions of the surroundings ('mahogany table', specific scents, etc.). Strong attention to detail even when naming the protagonist - calling her "Amira" or "the assassin" to subtly signal whether she's looking at the situation personally or professionally.

I finally figured it out: Rhythm of War is Die Hard but in epic fantasy.

"Rysn had been warned never to mistake Thaylen naval traditions for Thaylen naval regulations. Regulations, after all, were written down - which made them far, far easier to change."

Wouldn't have expected a treatise on ethics to digress into geometry and economic theory and have both be completely relevant, but here we are

My Secret Project ranking (Sanderson)

1: SP1 Tress. Favorite worldbuilding and artwork, loved the character's journey and the whimsical narration.

2: SP2 Frugal Wizard. Favorite character growth and I'm a sucker for medieval England. Love Steve Argyle's art.

3: SP4 Sunlit Man. Fast-paced with fun space-age Cosmere info.

4: SP3 Yumi. Excellent character work, but was my least favorite of four very good books.

"[Feminists] insisted on interpreting biblical texts contextually...Conservatives, however, insisted on a 'populist hermeneutic,' a method privileging 'the simplest, most direct interpretations of scripture.' For conservatives, this wasn't just the right method, it was also the masculine one." Du Mez is trying to paint biblical literalism as a result of conservative values, but her words show the reverse is true.

Finally speed reading this while clearing out books. Discusses the cultural backdrop of American evangelicalism. It's a sobering reminder to separate our Biblical views from the merely cultural. That said, it is very ad hominem; she seems to be dismissing conservative views by explaining how they became prominent, instead of evaluating whether they are true. Also, often asserts her narrative without justifying it.

Matthew 1-5: Narrative sections are not very different; they translate names literally and change "shoes" to "moccasins," etc. The Indigenous metaphors pick up in chapter 5. Their 5:27-32 is concerning: they add a gloss to say Jesus is responding only to misogynists and those who put away their wives without a formal divorce, completely removing the point about faithfulness. No other translation or commentary agrees.

They released fully a quarter of the book in preview chapters? Wow. Can't wait to read the rest.

Basically we're in the Cognitive Realm but non-Cosmere. Also this reads really fast - not sure if I am just more focused than when I read the first two books or if I'm subconsciously comparing it to the novellas (which I had on audio and therefore got through more slowly).

Fast read. When time travel is invented, meeting Rachmaninoff is on my short list.