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Mark
Mark is 99% done with Midnight in Chernobyl: The Untold Story of the World's Greatest Nuclear Disaster
A consistently fantastic and interesting read.

Very well told, describing the context, accident, immediate and long term impact and the subsequent investigations before summing up and revisiting the lives of the cast of characters.
Apr 29, 2026 12:14AM Add a comment
Midnight in Chernobyl: The Untold Story of the World's Greatest Nuclear Disaster

Mark
Mark is 89% done with Knife of Dreams (Wheel of Time, #11)
The mechanics of balefire are so hand wavy. It destroys things back in time, but people still remember them? Alrighty then.

I really liked my theory about Vandene being a Darkfriend who killed her own sister, but I’m glad it was wrong 🤣
Apr 26, 2026 02:55AM Add a comment
Knife of Dreams (Wheel of Time, #11)

Mark
Mark is 37% done with Midnight in Chernobyl: The Untold Story of the World's Greatest Nuclear Disaster
Well into the disaster now.

Very readable, a good mix of dramatisation and factual narrative.
Apr 23, 2026 02:00PM Add a comment
Midnight in Chernobyl: The Untold Story of the World's Greatest Nuclear Disaster

Mark
Mark is 4% done with Midnight in Chernobyl: The Untold Story of the World's Greatest Nuclear Disaster
Interesting and engaging start, huge list of names excepted 🤣
Apr 20, 2026 02:50PM Add a comment
Midnight in Chernobyl: The Untold Story of the World's Greatest Nuclear Disaster

Mark
Mark is 84% done with Knife of Dreams (Wheel of Time, #11)
As a counterpoint to Aram’s story’s half-assed conclusion, the presumed end of Galina’s story is pretty satisfying!
Apr 19, 2026 02:28AM Add a comment
Knife of Dreams (Wheel of Time, #11)

Mark
Mark is 83% done with Knife of Dreams (Wheel of Time, #11)
If the whole Aram plotline had not been so thinly sketched its conclusion would feel like a huge anticlimax. As it is? Meh 🤣

Poor Rolan though.

Looking forward to Masema getting his comeuppance.
Apr 18, 2026 07:43AM Add a comment
Knife of Dreams (Wheel of Time, #11)

Mark
Mark is 79% done with Knife of Dreams (Wheel of Time, #11)
A game I like to play with the later WoT books is guessing how people are going to miss each other or how Rand is going to intervene.

Considering he was the main POV not so long ago he’s almost peripheral now.
Apr 17, 2026 02:41AM Add a comment
Knife of Dreams (Wheel of Time, #11)

Mark
Mark is 99% done with SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome
This has been a thoroughly enjoyable look at Roman culture for their first 1,000 years.
Apr 13, 2026 12:14AM Add a comment
SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome

Mark
Mark is 85% done with SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome
Did I need to hear the narrator, Phyllida Nash, say “I fucked the landlady”? Probably not, but here we are 🤣
Apr 10, 2026 02:18PM Add a comment
SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome

Mark
Mark is 75% done with Knife of Dreams (Wheel of Time, #11)
Rand is going to be a limbless, sightless lump by the time we get to the final battle, isn’t he? Wheeled out by Aes Sidai as a weapon.

Who biffed the illusion around Semirhage? They’re going to be in trouble. Unless it was Cadauane, in which case nicely done 👍🤣
Apr 06, 2026 02:34AM Add a comment
Knife of Dreams (Wheel of Time, #11)

Mark
Mark is 74% done with Knife of Dreams (Wheel of Time, #11)
We seem to be heading towards Dumai’s Wells redux, with everyone converging on Malden with different plans. Chaos will no doubt ensue 🤣
Apr 05, 2026 06:59AM Add a comment
Knife of Dreams (Wheel of Time, #11)

Mark
Mark is 69% done with Knife of Dreams (Wheel of Time, #11)
The weakening of saidar in Tar Valon seeming to affect some things (food) and not others (the harbour towers) suggests it could be targeted.


Interesting to see if the effect stops at the Little Tower now that Delana and Halima are gone.
Mar 23, 2026 01:39AM Add a comment
Knife of Dreams (Wheel of Time, #11)

Mark
Mark is 49% done with SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome
Very entertaining and informative so far. Avoids the traps of talking about one “great man” after another and instead focuses mostly on culture and politics.
Mar 21, 2026 08:52AM Add a comment
SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome

Mark
Mark is on page 13 of 320 of Fallen Idols: Twelve Statues That Made History
Pausing this for now.

Interesting, yes. But also very of the moment and the moment sucks, so let’s not dwell on it in our leisure time 😂
Mar 10, 2026 02:19PM Add a comment
Fallen Idols: Twelve Statues That Made History

Mark
Mark is on page 11 of 320 of Fallen Idols: Twelve Statues That Made History
I have never noticed before, but the word “reader” is replaced with “listener” on audiobooks - or in this one least!
Mar 07, 2026 02:28PM Add a comment
Fallen Idols: Twelve Statues That Made History

Mark
Mark is 61% done with Knife of Dreams (Wheel of Time, #11)
The only place that saidar failing has been mentioned, I think, is Egwene’s camp. And maybe the White Tower?

This makes it seem localised. So could be weakening the weaves using saidin? Chief suspect would be Halima.
Mar 07, 2026 10:23AM Add a comment
Knife of Dreams (Wheel of Time, #11)

Mark
Mark is 53% done with Knife of Dreams (Wheel of Time, #11)
The Rand / Lews Therin dynamic reminds me a lot of Thomas and Ashen Shugar where they influenced each other forwards and backwards in time.

And the wheel is all about circles, after all.
Feb 28, 2026 03:26AM Add a comment
Knife of Dreams (Wheel of Time, #11)

Mark
Mark is 50% done with A City on Mars: Can We Settle Space, Should We Settle Space, and Have We Really Thought This Through?
Still going strong. A great mix of science and humour.

The audiobook narrator is also very good.
Feb 23, 2026 11:30AM Add a comment
A City on Mars: Can We Settle Space, Should We Settle Space, and Have We Really Thought This Through?

Mark
Mark is 52% done with Knife of Dreams (Wheel of Time, #11)
Logain shows up and is almost immediately followed by Shadowspawn. Suspicious.

Interesting that he and Rand still nominally consider the Black Tower to be under his command; previously it seemed like Taim had taken over completely.
Feb 23, 2026 11:29AM Add a comment
Knife of Dreams (Wheel of Time, #11)

Mark
Mark is 46% done with Knife of Dreams (Wheel of Time, #11)
The palace of Caemlyn has changed layout? Interesting. Weird, but definitely interesting…
Feb 15, 2026 03:19PM Add a comment
Knife of Dreams (Wheel of Time, #11)

Mark
Mark is 42% done with Knife of Dreams (Wheel of Time, #11)
Oh bloody hell, another cursed knife 🙄
Feb 14, 2026 02:57PM Add a comment
Knife of Dreams (Wheel of Time, #11)

Mark
Mark is 36% done with Knife of Dreams (Wheel of Time, #11)
Can Selucia channel? 🤔
Feb 02, 2026 02:24PM Add a comment
Knife of Dreams (Wheel of Time, #11)

Mark
Mark is 33% done with Knife of Dreams (Wheel of Time, #11)
Mat’s chapters continue to be great.

Moiraine’s letter is quite something.

I cannot recall any allusions to the Eelfinn and Aelfinn being snakes and foxes previously but it’s all over the last few chapters and ties into the prophecies, his medallion, the games with Olver etc.
Jan 29, 2026 03:00PM Add a comment
Knife of Dreams (Wheel of Time, #11)

Mark
Mark is 29% done with Knife of Dreams (Wheel of Time, #11)
Mat chapters are the best chapters.

I like the visual of Joline throwing things at Mat non-stop because she can’t just slap him around with the power 🤣

Anan is a stilled Aes Sidai, interesting.
Jan 25, 2026 02:25AM Add a comment
Knife of Dreams (Wheel of Time, #11)

Mark
Mark is 24% done with Knife of Dreams (Wheel of Time, #11)
Noal is Farstrider then? Seems like Mat knows it too.
Jan 19, 2026 02:13AM Add a comment
Knife of Dreams (Wheel of Time, #11)

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