Benedict Patrick > Recent Status Updates

Our latest buddy read. Although this is another thriller (not my preferred genre), the initial chapters have already grabbed me; there’s an edge to the main character’s narration that I want to find out more about.

Really into this now. Proper Blade Runner meets Blood Over Bright Haven vibes.

“Beware the autumn people…”

“Times come when troughs, not tables, suit our appetites.”

Okay, this is interesting.

This is my next buddy read with Adele, continuing our exploration of Greek myth-inspired stories.

I rose an eyebrow when I read the author description mentioning that Gill is a poet. What I wasn’t expecting, however, was for the book to be written (so far) as a series of poems.

Going to be very interesting to see how this pans out for an entire novel…

Rarely do I enter a bookstore without a clue about what I’m looking for. This was, however, a rare impulse-buy.

What a difference from modern fiction. So far, 16 chapters in and little has happened, but I’m already captivated by the prose. Jim’s dialogue with his mother packed a punch:

‘I’m never going to own anything can hurt me.’

My current audiobook.

One chapter in, and we’ve already been treated to Nox. Hoping this is a taste of what’s to come…

Not my regular genre, but this is Adele’s pick for our next buddy read. Looking forward to trying something different…

Just finished the karaoke chapter. Easily my favourite audiobook experience ever - had a stupid grin the whole time.

Solid so far. After the high drama of faction wars, this currently feels like a more ‘back to basics’ of dungeon survival. Interesting that Carl himself seems to be aware of this fact. Enjoying reuniting with the characters. The first boss battle was nightmarish - Dinniman is a monster.

Because of course.

Happy DCC day, all!

Samantha needs to be shot if she tries to do a recap again, however.

Having a lot of fun with this. Characters being possessed by incorporeal entities seems to be a favourite trope of mine.

Which, in hindsight, makes a lot of sense…

Adele and I began reading this together a while ago. She feel out of love with it, but I’ve returned to it to finish it off.

Like so many short story collections, some tales hit better than others. Working through ‘The Long Way Round’ right now, and it’s hitting all the right buttons for me.

Just finished Wintrow’s visit to the Others’ island. I had zero memory of this part, and couldn’t be happier. Feeling overawed at the scale of the story that’s unfolding right now.

Adele and I are flicking through this together, after picking it up because a work colleague recommended it. Boat’s out so far. We were both intrigued by the prologue, and the story hidden in the initial image, but now that the first mystery is starting to be explained to us, our reactions are more ‘really?’ than the ‘ah ha!’ we were hoping for.

Paragon’s just been sold. That scene. I wish I could conjure even a fraction of those emotions in my own work.

I’d completely forgotten about Clef. One of my favourite characters this time around.

My current audiobook. I tore through the first few volumes in the series, but have found this one hasn’t gripped me as much. I think the setting is really interesting, the characters and overall writing is masterful, as to be expected by this point. Although the novel kicked off with what promised to be a gripping incident, most of the storylines since have been unconnected slices of life. Looks to be changing now.

Ah, Malta. I’d forgotten how much I loathed you at this point.

I’ve long touted that this is my favourite fantasy trilogy, but only ever read them when they were published. I revisited Liveship a few years ago, so thought it was time to hit Book 2.

My memory of the story is extremely fuzzy now, which means I’m regularly being delightfully surprised. Just had a character I was convinced lasted the whole series breath their last.