#la forteresse du chaudron noir
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馃摎August 2024 Book Review (Part 1/4)馃摎
I had soooo much free time in August! Heatwaves meant every outdoor activities were out of the question. There was nothing to do at work outside of my 2 4-hours shift either. I ended up reading a good 8 to 12 hours a day, hence the 16 books of this months review!
La Forteresse du Chaudron Noir (Les Aventures du Pyro-barbare et de Billy #1) by Bob Lennon
Billy is a young farmer in a village decimated by disease. After his mother dies he sets out to the city unaware that an ancient evil was on the rise. Now accompanied by a goliath, Billy will have to use his wits and strength to defeat the terrible power hidden within the fortress. YOU are Billy!
When I was a kid I LOVED Choose Your Own Adventure books! They were fun, novelty, and always had a ton of different characters and places to interact with. I liked the "game" aspect of them as much as the "book" aspect. But after some time you explored every available path and getting the "good" ending was more muscle memory than puzzle solving, the replay value of kid CYOA was generally low.
Now enter Bob Lennon! Most of you won't know him but he is one of the biggest french video game youtuber. He's been on the platform since 2011 and has still the same workaholic energy. He created his own character inspired by Skyrim who is a Fire Barbarian named Le Pyrobarbare and his sidekick Billy. He is also a TTRPG fan.
That was a very long introduction to say that he created his own CYOA book series that are inspired by those characters and have a big TTRPG dynamic to them and THEY. ARE. INCREDIBLE.
It all start with a character creation system: you will always play Billy the farmer but you can choose between a collection of objects and whichever you chose decide which type of Billy you are: warlike, rustic, resourceful or cautious. And all of this influences which decisions you can or can't make. And there are A LOT of decision, we're talking about a 400 pages book. That might not be that many but I have never seen a CYOA above 150 pages.
The combat system is fairly easy to use, while being more interesting than "roll two dice the lowest roll loose". It pairs well with different stats of your Billy, which change depending on the class, the equipment, the event that happened in your adventure.
There is an achievement system on the last two pages of the book that also includes the ending so I counted them: there is a DOZEN ending. I discovered there was a dragon I could have fought to get the Warlike Gold Ending and I missed it! I was so mad!
I could keep of gushing about this book (I didn't talk about the characters, about the city and the castle the story takes place in, ir even the Pyrobarbare who is the funniest) but it was really a lot of fun and I hesitate between starting a new run with a different class of Billy or buy the SECOND book if the series (the 3rd one is being crowdfunded and I can't wait!)
Did You Hear About Kitty Karr? by Crystal Smith Paul
Hollywood icon Kitty Karr died, leaving her fortune to the three St John sister, young wealthy Black women. While dealing with Kitty's affairs (and keeping away from journalists) they find a dairy which uncovers secrets in the background of the South and Hollywood during the Segregation.
I would probably never have picked up this book if it wasn't a draw from the book club pile. I like historical fiction but Hollywood and the stars is not something I have any interest in. I went a bit blindly into it, scared that if I research it I'd create bad expectations.
I was surprise: it isn't the drama filled story I was dreading! This is a dive into the segregated USA and in a community I had never really read about: white passing POC. Even when Kitty starts to work in the film industry (as a phone operator at first then climbing the ladder to become a famous actress) the focus is always on social issues, racism, the careful balance of being a black woman in white spaces, the fight for civil rights and the work these woman did for this cause. Atop of all this there is the thread of family legacy and secrets and what ties Kitty and the St Johns together.
It is a very interesting book, nuanced and deep. I don't know how much of it is was researched but it felt fairly accurate from perspective.
The Oleander Sword (The Burning Kingdom #2) by Tasha Suri
Malini and Priya parted ways: the Princess is marching to the capital city, gathering allies to otherthrow her brother; the Priestess is working with her siblings to rebuilt the Temple and restore her city. But when Malini's fight encounter divine resistance she will once again draw from Priya's magic to get her end, with their fragile relationship, and Priya's own goals in the way.
I adored book 1, The Jasmine Throne and I was so excited to read the rest of the story! I loved having my favorite characters back, I loved the politic developing after the events of the previous tome and as usual I loved the angst, the complicated relationship between Malini and Priya, the mysterious happening in Ahiranya,Malini's change as her goal draws closer...
The writing is still gold, perfectly highlighting the feelings and doubts of the characters. I love having so much insight in the characters mind. The switch between multiples point of view is really well handles.
Unfortunately it suffers from Middle Book Syndrome: very little new element introduced and very little resolution of previous elements. That's to be expected, but when the third and final book is not yet available it is really frustrating.
I am still hyped for the last book, The Lotus Empire, it should be releases in November but the TBR is so high, I'm afraid I'll have to keep it for next year
Path of Destruction (Darth Bane Trilogy #1) by Drew Karpyshyn
A thousand year before the events of the first Trilogy, Des is a disillusioned miner in the Outer Rim. He joins the Sith to escape his misery and discover his connection to the Force. Through the training of the Sith Masters he develops his talent and as his power grows so does his ambition. He is now Darth Bane and he will be more powerful than them all!
I had been disappointed by novelisation of series before so I approached this one with caution, even though I heard everywhere that it was one of the best Star Wars novel (if you disagree don't blame me, blame Reddit)
That's a recurring event: I was dead wrong, this book floored me. The writing is good, the plot is even better, characters are incredible and I never thought I would be cheering so hard for a Sith!
I was a bit scared having no previous knowledge of this period of the Star Wars universe would make it impossible to understand the book. Maybe I misses some references but it never was obscur. The Star Wars lingo is also always explicited with context clues. That's really agreable because that's not always a given when you dive into work on the further edge of canon.
The characters are almost exclusively Sith (and some usual brand of assholes) but they are still relatable, even though they are cunning, vicious, calculating. Bane especially has some redeeming circonstances that made him endearing even though he joined the dark side and dives deep into its ways.
A really really good surprise and a really really good book. I'd really like to read the rest of this trilogy, it sparked back my interest for Star Wars when the recenr series and just bored me to death.
#book review#bookblr#books#bob lennon#pyrobarbare#la forteresse du chaudron noir#did you hear about kitty karr#crystal smith paul#the oleander sword#the burning kingdoms#tasha suri#star wars#darth bane#star wars legends#path of destruction#drew karpyshyn
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divine
challenge de dessin sur le mot "divin". du coup, petit hommage tr猫s en retard 脿 Phumtar, l'une des divinit茅s des livres de Bob Lennon! _____ small explanation for english speakers wondering what is this random stuff: a french youtuber named Bob Lennon is making a book serie, there are gods in his lore, one is a platypus making sure everything on earth is working acccording to the law of physics, and here he is! still random, but now you know! drew him in my july art challenge for the word "divine"
#fanart#illustration#bob lennon#la forteresse du chaudron noir#divinity#platypus#phumtar#pencil drawing#digital coloring
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馃摎 Hi! I'm Noah avid reader since age 6 and always happy to discuss books! 馃摎
I read almost all genre with sweet tooth for fantasy and sci-fi. I also have a growing interest in murder mystery and horror. Lots of queer fiction. I'm also catching up on my classics.
Mostly adult and some young adult but I have enjoy middle grade from time to time.
I especially love Terry Pratchett, Victor Hugo, Agatha Christie and T J Klune.
I read in both english and french, english not being my first language but I'm close to fluent.
Yearly book count : 123
Last finished reading
Une belle vie by Virginie Grimaldi
Reading in progress
La Dame du manoir de Wildfell Hall (The Tenant of Wildfell Hall) by Anne Bront毛
The Restaurang at the End of the Universe (Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy #2) by Douglas Adams
Already read this year (in reverse chronological order)
If We Were Villains by M L Rio
(The lines in pink are book crushes)
Dracula by Bram Stoker
Wintersmith (Discworld #34) by Terry Pratchett
Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone (Ernest Cunningham #1) by Benjamin Stevenson
What Feast at Night (Sworn Soldier #2) by T Kingfisher
Le Bastion des Larmes by Abdellah Ta茂a
War and Peace by Leon Tolstoi
The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi
Rule of Two (Darth Bane Trilogy #2) by Drew Karpyshyn
Les Dragons by J茅r么me Colin
Hotel Magnifique by Emily J Taylor
Le dieu d'automne et d'hiver by Pauline Sidre
Les Possibles by Virginie Grimaldi
A Close and Common Orbit (Wayfarer #2) by Becky Chambers
The Outsider by Stephen King
Once and Future Witches by Alix E Harrow
Tous les silence ne font pas le m锚me bruit by Baptiste Beaulieu
Trois battements un silence by Anne Fakhouri
Kiss Kiss by Roal Dahl
Assassin's Apprentice (Realm of the Elderlings #1) by Robin Hobb
Halloween Party by Agatha Christie
Artificial Condition (Murderbot Diary #2) by Martha Wells
The Light Throught the Leaves by Glendy Vanderah
Et que ne durent que les moments doux by Virginie Grimaldi
The Eyes are the Best Part by Monika Kim
Ring Shout by P Djeli Clark
The Rest of the Robots (Robots #2) by Isaac Asimov
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bront毛
On the Way to the Wedding (Bridgerton #8) by Julia Quinn
Our Missing Heart by Celeste Ng
Book of Blood I by Clive Barker
Ilos by Marion Brunet
Babel by R F Kuang
Rosemary and Rue (October Daye #1) by Seanan McGuire
Thud! (Discworld #34) by Terry Pratchett
Sea of Tranquility by Emily St John Mandel
Les aventures de Billy et du Pyrobarbare : la forteresse du chaudron noir by Bob Lennon
Space Opera by Catherynne M Valente
Magie et Sentiments : les secrets de Longdawn by Ariel Holzl
A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole
It's in His Kiss (Brigerton #7) by Julia Quinn
Les Cinq by Matthieu Rochelle
Did You Hear About Kitty Karr by Crystal Paul Smith
The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe (The Chronicles of Narnia #1) by C S Lewis
How to Raise a Kraken in Your Bathtub by P Djeli Clark
An Appointment with Death by Agatha Christie
The Oleander Sword (The Burning Kingdoms #2) by Tasha Suri
Time to Orbit : Unknown by Derin Edala
It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini
4.48 Psychosis by Sarah Kane
Under the Whispering Door by T J Klune
The Moth Keeper by Kay O'Neill
Cain's Jawbone by E Powys Mathers
Darth Bane : Path of Destruction (Darth Bane #1) by Drew Karpyshyn
Du th茅 pour les fant么mes by Chris Vuklisevic
Labyrinthes (Caleb Tracksman #3) by Franck Thiliez
The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet (Wayfarers #1) by Becky Chambers
Le dernier des siens by Sibylle Grimbert
Five Little Pigs by Agatha Christie
Going Postal (Discworld #33) by Terry Pratchett
House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland
Blanche-Neige et les lances-missiles (Du temps o霉 les dieux buvaient #1) by Catherine Dufour
When He Was Wicked (Bridgerton #6) by Julia Quinn
The Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Celle qu'il attendait by Baptiste Beaulieu
Jusqu'脿 ce que mort s'ensuive by Olivier Rolin
American Gods by Neil Gaiman
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
The Umbrella Academy Vol 1-3 by Gerard Way and Gabriel B脿
Il 茅tait deux fois (Caleb Tracksman #2) by Franck Thilliez
Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle
To Sir Phillip With Love (Bridgerton #5) by Julia Quinn
Le papillon des 茅toiles by Bernard Werber
Beren and Luthien by J R R Tolkien
A Hat Full of Sky (Discworld #32) by Terry Pratchett
Le manuscrit inachev茅 (Caleb Tracksman #1) by Frnaxk Thiliez
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie
Akata Witch (Akata Witch #1) by Nnedi Okorafor
Romancing Mr Bridgerton (Bridgerton #4) by Julia Quinn
The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton
An Offer from a Gentleman (Bridgerton #3) by Julia Quinn
Delicious in Dungeon vol 1-14 by Ryoko Kui
Doctor Who : the Star Beast by Gary Russell
La promesse de l'aube by Romain Gary
The Jasmine Throne (The Burning Kingdoms #1) by Tasha Suri
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adam
The Illiad by Homer (trad Emily Wilson)
The Viscount Who Loved Me (Bridgerton #2) by Julia Quinn
The Me You Love in the Dark by Scotty Young and
The Duke and I (Bridgerton #1) by Julia Quinn
Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie
Nona the Ninth (Locked Tomb #3) by Tamsyn Muir
The Catcher in the Rye by J D Salinger
House of Leaves by Mark Z Danielewski
The House in the Cerulean Sea by T J Klune
I, Robot (Robot #1) by Isaac Asimov
Monstrous Regiment (Discworld #31) by Terry Pratchett
The Faceless Old Woman Who Secretly Lives in your Home by Jeffrey Cranor and Joseph Fink
Fullmetal Alchemist Vol 1-27 by Hiromu Arakawa
The Remarkable Retirement of Edna Fischer by E M Anderson
All System Red (Murderbot Diaries #1) by Martha Wells
Veiller sur elle by Jean-Baptiste Andrea
Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare
Segurant le chevalier au dragon by Emanuele Arioli
Chanson Douce by Leila Sleimane
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
He Who Drowned The World (The Radiant Emperor #2) by Shelley Parker Chan
Et 脿 la fin ils meurent by Lou Lubie
Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
Coraline by Neil Gaiman
The Wee Free Men (Discworld #30) by Terry Pratchett
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
Harrow the Ninth (Locked Tomb #2) by Tamsyn Muir
Histoire de coming out by Baptiste Beaulieu and Sophie Nanteuil
Heartstopper Vol 1-4 by Alice Oseman
The Old Guard by Greg Rucka
The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton
Le Comte de Monte-Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
La Cicatrice by Bruce Lowrey
Farenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Us by Sara Soler
Gideon the Ninth (Locked Tomb #1) by Tamsyn Muir
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