King Crusoe > Recent Status Updates

First 8 chapters are literally all genealogies XD

Right around halfway through Book One, and at a brilliant stopping spot after the main body of the Shire and before the Old Forest section! Delightful time again so far, and definitely loving the Andy Serkis narration as much as I did for The Hobbit earlier this year. Ought to finish Book One tomorrow if all goes well 😁

Just re-read the front-matter today (Foreword and Prologue), and they're definitely a big more investing and interesting (basically respectively) when you've already read the books (plus The Silmarillion) before. Still not sure the Prologue is necessary for first-timers as long as they've read the Hobbit, but that's probably still just me lol

Shall continue on proper tomorrow! A volume per week will be quite a pace!

The Alchemist | 2.5/5

Leaving the last 2 chapters of Volume 16 for next weekend so I can read all of this “The Hunter and the Hunted” section at once.

Unexpected and exciting developments so far tho 🔥

The Beast in the Cave | 3.5/5

As with Edgar Allan Poe’s complete story collection, I am restarting H.P. Lovecraft’s work. This started this morning (3 October, 2026). I will update this listing with links and ratings for each individual story, again just as with EAP.

Forgot to update this yesterday. Much of September was spent on other work projects. This week finally got to circle around to make some project. Current plan is to finish around the end of October but we shall see.

Read Volume 15 today, plus the first chapter of Volume 16 - all of the “Fettered Tern” chapters.

Wonderful stuff already. Just as the previous arc, adds another main character to our roster, and does so in meaningful effect with solid and not drawn-out build-up. Cannot wait to continue 🙌🏻

What a ballsy way to end the trilogy tbh. So many poetic swings taken.

"2 Kings" *really* continues the trend from its predecessor of wrapping the narrative of the Israelite people(s) in with known history a bit more actively, which is cool! Definitely just as dense at times. The coolest part was definitely Elisha, and that is even more the case if you're familiar with Christ's life.

Read my review of "2 Kings" here.

So, "1 Kings" begins the transition from the more legendary side of biblical history from the prior two books and begins to line up a bit more with the historical record, which is definitely one of the more interesting things about it and its immediate follow-up. Maybe have some maps and timelines handy for it, though.

Read my review of "1 Kings" here.

That trainwreck-in-slow-motion I mentioned last time?

Yeah that’s been this whole back half lmao

Man everything since right around the half way point has been watching a train crash in slow mention. Heartwrenching.

Didn’t have time to read yesterday, but making progress again! Aiming to finish by end of week.

Despite borrowing a lot from the political nature of the first book as well as the manner of primary political conflict from the second book, so many little intricate character (and political) dynamics mean that *everything* in this book is still so fresh and rewarding. So familiar, but never repetitive. Fits the major themes so well.

This trilogy is looking an awful lot like an unmitigated masterpiece to me!

1 and 2 Kings are much denser than you'd immediately assume on account of all the names and approximate timespans of the reigns of the various kings of Judah and Israel.

Where narrative comes in almost makes it harder to follow some of that because it "interrupts" that flow, even if stuff especially with Elisha is really interesting as a precursor figure to Christ.

Now right on the verge of the fall of Israel tho.

Man. So many aspects of the story are looking so much different than they did at the start. I have scarcely a guess at where precisely this is going in several regards.

I’m really liking the slowburn aspect of this so far! Somewhat reminiscent of the first one, but ramping up conflict tension in a pretty different way too 👀

Given this book takes place over a month where book 2 takes place over like a week, we’ll see how the continued pacing decisions hold up!

Aight so the last week has been…something. But I have finally had occasion and the mindset both to continue.

Book is already shaping up quite well and somewhat unexpectedly. Though I will undoubtedly not be able to finish before the turn of the month, I am excited for more!

Not as much progress as I’d have liked this morning, but I should make better headway tomorrow 👀

Gotta be real, surprised that the coverage of Solomon is this short. First couple chapters transition from David to Solomon, then most of Solomon's time here is spent with the building of the temple and the like. Obviously, that is of major importance, but his presence is overstated compared to other characters! It's ironically the opposite of 1 Samuel's coverage of Saul, which in my experience is understated. Neat!

Prologue and Chapter 1 done. I wasn’t sure where this one would actually start, but the starker time jump is a good call. Seems old conflicts will revive with entirely new dynamics.

Excited to make some notable progress over the coming days.

I read both volumes all this morning. What a heckin close to the Slave arc

*Insert Hide-the-Pain Harold image here*

[Insert *smashes bottle* “E-MO-TIONAL DA-MAGE” gif here]

All of Volume 11 done in one sitting right after Volume 10.

Cannot that I expected any of what this volume was. Some incredible politicking tho, and unexpected character moments from others that aren’t Thorfinn and Einar this time around.

Things seem to be imminently coming to some sort of head tho. Can’t wait to read more!

Okay took several days to return because of very packed work life last week, but finally read Vol. 10.

Some incredible stuff - at this point, like always.

Moving right along into Vol. 11 now 🔥

Finished Volume 9. Will inch along Volume 10 up through to the weekend I think.

And a quick glimpse at how the war is going back in England. Yet more incredible stuff, tho the amount of time glossed over and associated plot skipped and summarized in the last handful of pages of this 2-chapter portion is admittedly slightly disappointing.