William Bertram > Recent Status Updates

The writing in Demon In White is a noticeable step up from previous books. There have been multiple highly immersive subplots that I enjoyed more than anything in the previous books. The subplots are all connected to the larger story arc, so they aren't side quests. So far, Demon in White is my favorite book of the series.

Great read so far! The author has done a great job with plot twists and raising the stakes to keep things interesting.

Another great Stormlight Archive volume. The pace wasn't bad in the first half, but I do think that Sanderson needs to step up the pace a little in the last half. We're still in 5/5 territory.

Great start! I wasn't sure what to expect here. I asked AI to find the highest rated books on Goodreads with more than 500 ratings, higher than 3.5 stars, and has sci-fi and horror tags. Paradise-1 was not on my radar before that. I'm already into the plot and characters.

I am now thoroughly immersed in this series. I appreciate the beginning now that I finally got going with it, but it was a slow burn, maybe excessively so. I realize a setting this large needs some setting up, but it didn't feel like any momentum was building until around 25%. Regardless, it's going now, and I love it.

I'm really into this series this time. This is my third try, and I'm not sure why I quit the first two times, because I love it!

I keep stalling out with this series. I think maybe I don't like the fantasy elements all that much. I don't dislike them, it's just meh. Very unadorned variations on Norse mythology. The story threads are also linear. A mother looking for her son, a warband looking for the graveyard of the gods, and another hunting monsters. It's not terrible, it's just not holding my interest. I may or may not finish.

This is turning out to be the "Commonwealth Universe" of Fantasy. Commonwealth Universe being my favorite series ever. I'm anticipating a very long, enjoyable run with Stormlight Archive.

I think it's finally time to tackle this series. I'm in the mood for some epic high fantasy, and the other books I'm reading aren't pulling me in.

Not bad so far. I'm not sure how I feel about this genre of "comedy meta fantasy" yet. It reminds me a little of Discworld. I did enjoy Discworld, but I generally like my fantasy a little more on the serious side. I'll stick with it.

I'm starting to have serious doubts about the capabilities of the three assassins. Flaws as necessary for relatable characters, but why are they not able to assemble a camping tent?

“I’ll sleep outside!” Eb yelled, hurling a pole into the trees. “Bugger it all! I’ll sleep outside like a dog! Ellen helped the men get their tent up. She worked quickly but deftly, shooing the men aside so she could work unencumbered."

I think we can only deduce that since Micah fought in the Korean war would have gravitated toward an M1911 since both America and Korea used this pistol, and it was already chambered for .45 ACP, which Micah seems to prefer. He would likely already have training and experience with the M1911.

Maybe his preference for the TT will be explained later.

I also have to wonder why a professional like Micah who, by his own admission, relies more on combat reflexes than marksmanship, would select a pistol like the TT that is known for accidentally releasing the magazine.

Even if that were not a known defect, why the TT? Micah was in the American military:

"Micah’s commander. Beechwood was the classic southern dandy."

1953 was the Korean war, and Korea use the M1911.

Just in case anyone wondered about this.

"Both guns were highly modified. Russian Tokarevs bored out to chamber .45 rounds."

"He exited the gun shop with three boxes of 7.62 mm cartridges."

Micah, a professional assassin specializing in pistols, renders his weapons incapable of firing 7.62, then buys 7.62 ammo for them. LOL.

I think this is an obvious mistake, since the Tokarev's original configuration is 7.62.

I'd also like to point out the similarities between Micah Shughrue and the character Anton Chigurh from the movie No Country for Old Men. Aside from their names being similar, both are apex assassins guided by a seemingly incomprehensible moral code.

“A thing is only done once Micah Shughrue has rendered it so, and it is he alone who concludes when those ends have been met."

"Micah and The Englishman had been pointing their guns at each other for the better part of three and one half ours. During this time, they had walked across the street to the coffee shop to discuss the ethics and motivations of ruthless killers. Then over to the barbershop for a shave and a haircut. Then, at the insistence of The Englishman, to the only high-end tailor in the ghost town to replace Micah's pants."

The storytelling and writing are good so far, but the book suffers from excessive monologuing. Trained killers who want to have an entire conversation before doing the deed. I've read about this technique, referred to as "slowing down time," or "stretching the tension." Action seems to be a better fit for characters who have structured every aspect of their lives to be "the ultimate assassin