Beyond the Burning Lands (The Sword of the Spirits #2) by John Christopher

Beyond the Burning Lands

The Sword of the Spirits #2

John Christopher

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Luke is allowed to return to Winchester, but he is restless and needs something to do. Finally his brother lets him set off beyond the Burning Lands, to Wilsh. In Wilsh he gains a princess and promises to come back. Upon his return to Winchester, he is promptly arrested and sentenced to execution. How will he get out of this?

I felt Beyond the Burning Lands was more believable than The Prince in Waiting, certainly in terms of the characters' emotional development. Luke in particular, seems to be developing into a human being rather than just a warrior with no feelings. It was nice to be able to go though his emotional turmoils with him, rather than it being skipped altogether.

Believe it or not, I actually enjoyed the cliffhanger ending as well. Usually I hate cliffhangers, but this one gave me a sense that something interesting will happen in book #3. I'll need to read it to find out!

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The Wee Librocubicularist

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

Ready Player One
Ernest Cline

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The year is 2044, Earth isn't doing so well environmentally. Most people live their lives in a virtual reality world called the OASIS. The creator, Halliday, dies leaving his entire inheritance to whoever finds the 'egg' in the OASIS. This is the story of Wade (screen name Parzival), and his quest to find the egg.


I loved this story. I was immediately sucked in, wondering what would happen next, so curious about this online world. The detail of the OASIS is just amazing. You're given details of everything; from equipment needed to what it is like once immersed. If there's one thing this book has plenty of, it's detail. But not in a bad way. I borrowed this book from a friend, and he said you are bombarded with facts in the beginning, which can make it slow to read. I didn't think this was the case. I found the facts useful and interesting and is a way to get to know the mind of Wade.

I've been thinking, and I can't decide if the OASIS is good or bad for humanity. Our understanding of technology is expanding, and it might not actually be that far away that we see the beginnings of virtual realities on this scale. On one hand, there would be so much that we could do without harm to real people. Wars could be carried out with no casualties. You could still stay close to friends and families but attend that school of your dreams. On the other hand, we're already seeing a decline of actual human interaction, with nearly everybody using social media as their main port of call. Inactivity could be a major issue, with obesity and heart disease rising even further (this is touched upon in the book). People use the internet and it's anonymity to hide behind, and the moral fibres of humanity could begin to disintegrate. It's such a large debate, and would take a long time to figure out if it is worth it.

I really enjoyed Ready Player One. It's definitely a book to sink your teeth into.




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The Wee Librocubicularist

Jingo (Discworld #21) by Terry Pratchett

Jingo
Terry Pratchett


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A mysterious island has popped up in the middle of the sea called Leshp. It is discovered by two fishermen who fight over who saw it first. Cue a race back to their shores to inform their people of said discovery, which results in Ankh-Morpork going to war with Klatch, each trying to claim the island for themselves. Vimes comes along with his trustworthy watchmen trying to save the day.

I enjoy the stories about Vimes and his watchmen. Although they're not my favourite, they're still pretty good! I thought this one wasn't quite as captivating at the other watch stories, but I don't think Terry Pratchett will ever get a rating below 3 stars.

Have a read for yourself and find out why. :)

Terry Pratchett

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The Wee Librocubicularist

The Prince In Waiting (The Sword of the Spirits #1) by John Christopher

The Prince In Waiting
John Christopher


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Luke lives in a world that doesn't believe in machines, and uses 'spirits' to guide them. He is named the Prince in Waiting, and after an ally betrayal where his father is murdered, he is taken far away for his safety.

I found it hard to sympathise with Luke. He has experienced so much death with some of his family, his brother has turned against him, yet he doesn't mourn and seems only concerned with being a warrior. I get that that is his main goal in life, but you shouldn't just ignore the fact that some of your family have died, and others are no longer speaking to you. 

I liked the general story, but I think Luke's, in my opinion, major character flaw put me off getting quite as absorbed as I would have liked.

This is a trilogy, so let's hope the next two are better!

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The Wee Librocubicularist