Book Reviews - Zachary Barnes

Review of Mark Lawrence’s RED SISTER

February 1, 2018February 1, 2018 zacharybarnes

This was a very fun, quick read! Mark Lawrence employs a variety of devices to great effect (e.g. hierarchical categories of traits like speed and size, previous records for ninja obstacle courses, numeric “steps” along the Path increasing in power, classes of initiate, final boss character… all things that help the reader measure Nona’s progress very clearly). The plot is a gathering one, heavy with repetition while hinting at bigger things to come; it kept me feverishly engaged. Some moves were telegraphed but the final result was never poorly executed.…

Review of Mark Lawrence’s PRINCE OF THORNS

February 26, 2015 zacharybarnes

GrimDark itself might be classified as a reaction to sword & sorcery and its heroes mounted on milk-white stallions, and this story exemplifies the genre, for better and for worse. One thing to note: PRINCE OF THORNS is not for the squeamish reader.

Review of Steven Erikson’s GARDENS OF THE MOON

February 19, 2015 zacharybarnes

This is a tricky review for me because I absolutely love this series (books 2, 3 and 4, specifically). But I didn’t love it at first. In fact, I had a pretty hard time getting through it. So here’s the deal: if you read this, you need to treat it as a very long prologue to one of the most epic and huge fantasy series of all time.

Review of Brian Jacques MOSSFLOWER

February 12, 2015 zacharybarnes

Of all the countless stories Brian Jacques told, MOSSFLOWER is my favorite. Most likely because it predates REDWALL, and I’m a super sucker for good world-building.

Review of Cormac McCarthy’s THE ROAD

January 22, 2015 zacharybarnes

And that’s what I love about this book. The small things–the personal–become epic triumphs.

Review of Patrick Rothfuss’ NAME OF THE WIND

January 15, 2015 zacharybarnes

The Name of the Wind is a frame story, and is the first in the Kingkiller Chronicle trilogy. It’s great as a bildungsroman, but also deals with the afterward of that oft-told tale: of a man who has become a legend in his own time. It’s a self-acknowledged story about stories, and I love it dearly.

Review of Scott Lynch’s LIES

January 8, 2015 zacharybarnes

The debut story of Locke Lamora is gripping and crammed with an intense gamut of emotion. Though the secondary world is vividly realized, the characters are what make this novel shine. The dialogue is sharply witty and every motivation fits its corresponding personality like a snug winter jacket. Sections of intentional world-building stood out from the rest of the action, but even though this stole some momentum from the main plot, each instance of description was redeemed through later relevance. My only disappointment was in the main character, the titular…