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  • The Silverblood Promise – A Study on Interruptions…

    The Silverblood Promise – A Study on Interruptions…

    So, I appeared to be among the lucky ones who was approved for an audio ARC for “The Blackfire Blade”, book 2 of the Lost Legacy series by James Logan. The problem was I hadn’t read the first one. And as I try to take my occupation as an aspiring book reader and reviewer seriously, I got it on Audible to be acquainted with the whole story. And the actual hype on the secondary market about TBB’s (The Broken Binding) The Silverblood Promise copies being sold for much higher than initial prices was also intriguing. Was the hype justified? Do you need a copy of the book? Read and you will know.

    I would call The Silverblood Promise a novel in high-fantasy low-magic setting with a very strong political accent. It has a pretty detailed world, pretty likable characters, and pretty twisted plot. It’s a murder mystery story with a several predictable plot lines and a couple of unexpected twists. Now let’s discuss all that in more detail.

    Saphrona. City of Splendor, vast Venetian-like city-state, controlled and ruled by Merchant Princes. The city felt alive. Not really deep and multi-faceted, but it had enough distinctive features to be relatable. Different districts, factions, parts of governmental apparatus, everything in the story is fleshed-out enough not to feel cardboard decorations of it, but a living and breathing entity. Looking forward to comparing it to Korslakov, the City of Spires.

    Characters are not very much fleshed out, they don’t undergone any significant transformations during their journey and mainly stay the same. But as I say it ofter here, when all the features add up, we receive much more than expected. Some strange chemistry comes into play and flat Lukan together with annoying Flea are more enjoyable and likable. And you start to care. One of the highlights of this book I’d call interaction of Lukan and Flea. It’s vivid, tolerably irritating at times, and adds a lot to this story. I wouldn’t call Flea a sidekick, she’s a righteous co-star of this story. Villains are typically evil, with no depth, but with all vices.

    Now let’s talk about prose and dialogues. This part gave the name to my review. I think James Logan accepted some kind of challenge on how many hundred times his characters would interrupt each other. Some fragments were very hard to listen to, because characters were constantly interrupting each other. It looked like we were taking part in some kind of experiment. Of cruel experiment, to be precise. Lady’s blood, interruptions were innumerable. Every time characters have been interrupted, I rolled my eyed, pursed my lips, but went on. But overall the prose was good, the choice of words was smart, and dialogues felt human.

    As it was the audiobook I listened to, I want to mention the narrator. Brenock O’Connor did a really good job bringing this book to life. I really enjoyed his voice, always with appropriate intonation and volume. The characters were distinguishable and the way he narrated people from different nations was to the point. Everything felt organic.

    The ending. After the main villain was punished and the last plot twist was established, our heroes are ready to make the next step in solving the mystery. And surprisingly, I’m looking forward to following them in their next adventure. During listening to the final chapter, I was smiling as the heroes were gathering on the pier and exchanging their usual jokes.

    That’s James Logan’s debut novel and it is a damn strong debut. The level of expectations for the second novel is not extremely high, but the raise is pretty steep, let’s say it so.

    When James Logan was asked: “What success means to you?”, he answered: “I just want people to read my book and enjoy it.” I can acknowledge that with “The Silverblood Promise” the author achieved success. For me it is a very unusual situation. If you take each element of this book, it has flaws and you can tell what can be done better, and the list can go on, and on, and on. But when you add all the elements together, the sum is much higher than expected. It is not a masterpiece for centuries, but a nice summer blockbuster, a perfect palate cleanser. Now I’ve got Book Two to devour and I want to see some pirates in it. Lady’s Mercy, let the pirates be in The Blackfire Blade.

  • Grave Empire – an ARC Review

    Grave Empire – an ARC Review

    That is my first experience with Richard Swan. I heard a lot of great things about his “Empire of the Wolf” trilogy, but have never read it myself. Grave Empire is somehow connected to the original trilogy, the events in it happen in the same world, but 200 years after the trilogy. All I knew before starting the book that it has armored sharks! ARMORED SHARKS? Count me in!

    But it has more, much more. Wolfmen, mermen, indigenous population, colonialists, necromancers, zombies… I can continue, but I don’t want to spoil the fun for future readers.

    And I enjoyed the book a lot. It has dark and hopeless mood, its characters are very grey, the world looks and feels like something tangible and real. I was involved in the plot development and intrigued by its mysteries and riddles. I enjoyed the intertwining plot lines of ancient prophecy, political intriguing and a villain origin. Different parts of the world felt different, were described differently, and had their own atmosphere. Different cultures have separate languages and world views. The air was soaked with the feeling of dying and forbidden magic as well as an influence of dangerous and inevitable prophecy. Add cosmic horror and flintlock guns with bayonets and you will get the world of Grave Empire.

    Now let’s talk about pacing. First quarter of the book I wasn’t that much invested in the story, it unwound slowly and steadily, fleshing out characters, world, and their interactions. The book started with the light-hearted story of a wannabe diplomat from the rich family and ended with a promise of doomed and hopeless world. And after some time I just couldn’t stop reading. Plot twists happen when you least (or don’t at all) expect them. The book doesn’t stop to surprise you till the last line. I was so invested, so interested and excited that my real-world activities were shoved to background in a very blunt manner. No regrets about that. The novel is worth it.

    The story is told through three POVs and they all are very different in mood and, I’d say, even genre. Peter’s story is grimdark fantasy with horror elements, Renata’s story is high political fantasy, and von Oldenburg’s story is… I can’t really tell, it’s has elements of both, but leans to none of them. All three main characters are relatable and believable. Each of them has their own style and behavior. Character work and development is done on a very high level.

    The overall conclusion is short and simple. The book is great. If you enjoy dark and slow-paced stories with grey and controvercial (and diverse) characters, then you’ll enjoy this novel a lot. I will try to squeeze more Richard Swan into my 2026 TBR. At least I will put in it Steel Gods, the second book. it is planned to release in March 2026.

  • September. Plans and Hopes

    September. Plans and Hopes

    Hello reader!

    I hope you are doing great and are ready to read what Legio Kraken is planning for September 2025.

    First of all, I’ve got a Book Club meeting on the 5th. And I need to read “The State of the Art” by Iain M. Banks till Friday. Today is Monday and I’m 5% in. Everything looks promising, doesn’t it?

    Second, I don’t know how I managed to do that, but I got approved for three ARCs on NetGalley. They are:
    – Gareth L. Powell “Who Will You Save?”
    – Richard Swan “Grave Empire”
    – Claire North “Slow Gods”
    So all these books are on my September TBR. Exactly in that order.

    And third, we’ve got a readalong of “The Left Hand of Darkness” on the “The Broken Binding” Discord channel. That will be my last September book.

    I’m very excited about every book and planning to write a review for each one of them. In October.

    Fourth, reviews. Here is the list for September:
    – Peter F. Hamilton “Misspent Youth”
    – Peter F. Hamilton “Pandora’s Star”
    – Joe Abercrombie “The Devils”
    – John Scalzi “When the Moon Hits Your Eye”.

    From 12th to 22nd of September I will be in Greece on vacation, so hopefully much time to read books. After swimming, and snorkling, and hiking, and eating… hehe.

    Also I’m in the middle of editing a spreadsheet with all the “The Broken Binding” books and subscriptions. I do it mainly for the Discord channel, but there will be a direct link in this blog.

    That’s all for now. This Thursday be ready for the review post. Which? One of Hamilton’s books, not sure yet. So, have a great week and don’t stop reading!

  • Snow Crash – Cyberpunk Classics everyone has to read

    Snow Crash – Cyberpunk Classics everyone has to read

    Soooo, I read “Snow Crash”. It supposed to be an easy read after finishing “The Shadow of the Torturer”, but I underappreciated Neal Stephenson. Seriously underappreciated.

    Neal Stephenson’s “Snow Crash” is often hailed as a seminal work in the cyberpunk genre, a gleaming cybernetic implant in the collective consciousness of sci-fi enthusiasts. But let’s strip away the hype and take a closer look at this 1992 novel, which is as much a fever dream of late-capitalist dystopia as it is a cautionary tale about the perils of ordering pizza in a post-apocalyptic world.

    First, let’s talk about the prose. Stephenson has a knack for describing the mundane with the fervor of a prophet on his fifth espresso. The opening pages, a tour-de-force of pizza delivery gone mad, are a masterclass in making the banal seem extraordinary. It’s like watching a high-stakes action movie where the hero’s superpower is navigating traffic.

    The world of “Snow Crash” is a grimy, corporate-dominated future where nation-states have been replaced by franchises, and everyone seems to be on a perpetual power trip—literally and metaphorically. It’s a bleak vision, but Stephenson delivers it with such panache that you can’t help but be drawn in. The cyberpunk aesthetic is turned up to eleven, with hackers, virtual reality, and enough neon to make a rave look like a candlelit dinner.

    But where “Snow Crash” truly shines—or perhaps blinds—is in its ideas. Stephenson weaves a tapestry of ancient Sumerian mythology, linguistics, and computer science that is as audacious as it is bewildering. It’s like watching a high-wire act performed by a philosopher juggling flaming chainsaws while reciting Shakespeare. You’re not sure how it all fits together, but you can’t look away.

    The influence of “Snow Crash” on the cyberpunk genre is undeniable. It’s a book that dares to ask, “What if the internet was a physical place, and also, what if ancient languages could reprogram your brain?” It’s a heady mix of high-concept ideas and low-brow humor, a rollercoaster ride through a future that feels both eerily prescient and delightfully absurd.

    Yet, for all its brilliance, “Snow Crash” can also be a bit of a slog. The plot meanders like a drunken tourist in a virtual reality theme park, and the characters often feel like they’re along for the ride rather than driving the story. But perhaps that’s the point. In a world as chaotic and unpredictable as the one Stephenson envisions, maybe the best we can do is hold on tight and enjoy the ride.

    In the end, “Snow Crash” is a book that defies easy categorization. It’s a cyberpunk epic, a linguistic puzzle, a satire of late-stage capitalism, and a love letter to the power of pizza delivery. It’s a book that will make you think, make you laugh, and make you wonder if you should brush up on your ancient Sumerian. Just in case.

  • I’m Back, Hopefully

    I’m Back, Hopefully

    So the life happened and my blog wasn’t of high priority enough to be busy writing. But now the things are kinda sorted out and I can finally plan some content for Legio Kraken.

    For July I’m preparing some reviews. You can shortly read about:
    – Snow Crash
    – When the Moon Hits Your Eye
    – Never Let Me Go
    – The Devils

    I’m also reworking my TBR page, it’s outdated af right now. There will be monthly State of the Collection posts. I’m really excited about my library and want to share my joy with everyone who visit my blog.

    And the last WIP is my Science Fiction page, with different subgenres and recommendations for each of them linked to my reviews (if there is any). Eventually I want my blog to grow into a Science Fiction recommendation resource. We’ll see.

    And what am I reading at the moment? Peter F. Hamilton’s “The Commonwealth Saga” is in the process of devouring now. And not the duology (Pandora’s Star and Judas Unchained) only, but a prequel (Misspent Youth) as well. I’m in the middle of it at the moment and I like Hamilton’s prose a lot. Characters are pretty figured out and the plot is what I’d call “slow but steady”. I’ve got a huge interest in completing this book.

    There is a reason why I’m reading Hamilton out of my TBR. In the end of July I’m going to meet with him in person, he’s visiting Berlin. So going to the meeting and bringing my books to sign is a no-brainer. This person is a Sci-Fi legend.

    That’s all for now, Snow Crash is planned for Wednesday. See ya later!

  • Blood Brothers Beyond – Japanese Road Movie on a Donkey Cart

    Blood Brothers Beyond – Japanese Road Movie on a Donkey Cart

    That’s my first ARC sent by Rob J Hayes and, actually, his first work I’ve ever read. And I will definitely check his other books. What I’ve read is wonderfully and interestingly written. So here it is, my review.

    Blood Brothers Beyond is an amazing and exciting road movie about three brothers who accomplish their quest to reach their final destination.
    I liked how the characters were introduced, they are very likable though flawed, how they interacted with the world and how the world responded to their actions.
    Talking about action. The fighting scenes were really good thought out and directed. I wish descriptions were more colourful and vivid. The pace was kept perfectly. Fighting changing flashbacks changing usual talks were never boring. And those talks, they were diamonds.
    What I liked the most in the novella is which topics it raised. The family grief, the wish you could spend more time with your gone relative, good and bad memories, funny and pityful stories, different experiences from different perspectives. Everyone who lost someone close will relive those feelings. That was beautiful.
    I liked how mysticism and Japanese myths were weaved into the story canvas. And humor was there, and it was brilliant.

    I don’t really like retelling the story and the plot and I won’t be doing that this time as well. I liked the story a lot. Actually, I loved it. Very human, very grounded, very sentimental.

    The conclusion is simple: that’s, I think, one of my top-5 reads this year. Unexpected yet very fulfilling story. And yeah, there’s a donkey in it, for real.

  • November is over, now let’s talk about December and winter

    November is over, now let’s talk about December and winter

    I planned to read six books in November, but managed to read only four. I didn’t write even one article/review in November, but made one important shift: I moved from Twitter to BlueSky. And I like it there. Much less bullshit and politics and ads, much more interaction and engagement and fun.

    So, November.
    1. One Hudred years of Solitude
    There is a whole story of my wife’s relationship with this book. She doesn’t understand it, she hates it, she despices it. And just before this book gets adaptation on Netflix, she asked me to read this novel and give her my opinion. Because so far she’s in minority, everyone seems to love this book. So, on the 1st of November I opened my ebook and started to read. And page after page my eyes got wider and wider. Holy fuck! I wasn’t expecting THAT! It took me one third of the month to complete this book. I suffered through it, the pain was almost physical. I haven’t read so many incest scenes in one book ever. I think Game of Thrones has less incest than that. And, actually, I didn’t get why this book had been written. Where is the sense of it? I think I missed some context. Luckily. This book got 3 out of 10. Just for the magical realism. That was fun and interesting. But not much.
    2. Ancient as the Stars
    This novel I read during my vacation in Norway. Every evening I sat with my Kindle, poured Green Earl Grey, and started to read. I finished this book relatively quickly, because it was interesting, exciting, and well-written. I plan to write a full review on that, so just wait.
    3. The Sound of Starfall
    A small novella I read while flying home from vacation. A short introduction to the world of the Remembered Lands. I’ve got “A Memory of Song” and will definitely read it till the sequel arrives.
    4. Digital Extremities
    Oh, that was an absolute pleasure. A collection of short stories appearing all around the world in a short span of time. Very light cyberpunk with strong vibes of Black Mirror. Some of them were good, a couple were really great, none was mediocre. That’s a must-read for every cyberpunk fan.
    Book of the Month.
    My Book of the Month is of course “DIGITAL EXTREMITIES”. I love such stories and the writing style is very likable. “36 Broadway Avenue” is just a masterpiece. Great debut, 9 out of 10.

    And now let’s talk about winter in general and December in parrticular.
    I’ll slightly change the structure of my TBR list from now on. There will be two missions: primary and secondary. Each mission contains three items. Primary is a must, secondary is good to accomplish. Primary is a part of a bigger strategic goal, secondary is indie, fantasy, novellas, ARCs and books on other languages and/or formats. So the format is 3+3 and then, if I have some time left I’ll improvise, my TBR list is huge.
    Now the winter-spring 2024-25 goal: Foundation + Dune + New Crobuzon trilogy + The Book of the New Sun.That’s all 20 books, so in winter Foundation + the first Dune trilogy, and in spring the rest. Secondary goals will be defined on per-month basis and the list is never final.
    So, let’s focus on December now. The Foundation trilogy is my Primary Goal. The Secondary goal consists of:
    – secret ARC
    – Dust & Lightning by Rebecca Crunden
    – The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowsky on German (just to get the feeling)

    That’s all for now! See ya all in the bluesky.app

  • Review #4 – Lelith Hesperax, Queen of Knives by Mike Brooks

    Review #4 – Lelith Hesperax, Queen of Knives by Mike Brooks

    “She had a dead god to raise, and a living god to kill, and she could do neither of those things, if she was dead herself…”

    It’s very difficult to understand non-human culture.
    It’s even more difficult to explore alien goals and motivations. Mike Brooks is a well-known master of such things. He writes about orks and these books are very interesting to read. His novel “Lion, Son of Forest” is praised by every Warhammer 40000 fan, because it’s so good.

    So, I decided to read his book about Drukhari, these sadistic, violent creatures, that torture and kill other living beings to tame their thirst. Lelith Hesperax is not an ordinary Drukhari, she is he Queen of Knives (quite obvious, it’s written in the title), the most dangerous Drukhari in the Universe.
    The novel takes not a very big period of time and explores one episode in Lelith’s life. The eternal ruler of Commorragh, Drikhari city of terror, wants Lelith back. She left Commorragh to travel with Yvraine as her bodyguard, and that’s something inacceptable for Asdrubael Vect, so he sends a troupe of Harlequins to Lelith to force her to return to the Dark City. She fights the Harlequin leader, wins and returns to Commorragh, because rumors say that her clan isn’t as strong as it was before.

    That’s the introduction, the rest of the book takes place in Commorragh. And if you want to know more about the plot, you need to read a book, because I won’t tell you not even a word about events.

    What I liked
    The combat and action scenes are just mesmerizing. Every move, every punch, kick or dash are described in cinematographic details. I liked how we were introduced into Commorragh, how unthinkable and twisted the city is. The show scene in the Crow’s Palace is a perfect representation of Drukhari “culture” and lifestyle. The attack on the craftworld was described very colorfully and vividly. The last battle scene was bloody and tense.
    I liked the presence and mentioning in the book of other Warhammer 40000 races. That helped me keeping in mind that I’m reading not a separated piece of fiction, but just a glimpse of a huge universe. I was really happy to see Votann in the book.

    What could be better
    The intriguing and politicing in Commorragh should be more sophisticating (I think so) and I’d like to see more of this in the book. Also I’d also like to see more Harlequins, as these fraction is one of my favourites.

    What I didn’t like
    The constant reminders how perfect Lelith is and how dangerous and skillful and independent she is. For me that was over the top. And the overall pacing was a bit off. Some moments (craftworld) were just fantastic, some (Yvraine scenes) felt like placeholders.

    Conclusion
    In general, I liked Lelith. That was exactly what I was expecting from the book with a couple of “buts”. If you are a fan of the Warhammer 40000 universe in general and Drukhari and/or Mike Brooks in particular, then it’s a definite must-read. Otherwise, it’s on you to decide. If you want a numerical evaluation, then it’s about 7/10. Not bad, but has a potential to be better.

    You can buy yourself a book by following the link: https://amzn.to/3UJfY3R

  • October Reading Success and My November Reading List

    October Reading Success and My November Reading List

    Hello folks! October has come to the end and I’m pretty proud with the results. I read six books in October, for me it’s an outstanding result. And half of them are reviewed, but my plan is to review them all. And the books were excellent. I really enjoyed reading them. Here is the full list:

    1. T.R. Napper – The Escher Man
    2. Aaron M. Payne – Falling into Oblivion
    3. Molly Macabre – Dark Bloom
    4. Dan Abbnett – Horus Rising
    5. Mike Brooks – Lelith Hesperax: Queen of Blades
    6. Keanu Reeves, China Miéville – the book of elsewhere

    I’ll link the books with reviews, so you can check whether they are of interest to you. And here is my list for November:

    1. Gabriel García Márquez – One Hundred Years of Solitude – my wife asked me to read this book, because she needs my opinion on it, she actually thinks this book is far away from being a masterpiece, so I need to be a judge whether she is right or wrong
    2. Adam Bassett – Digital Extremities – I contacted Adam via Twitter and he sent me his book. I got it and it will be actually my monthly dose of cyberpunk. Yes, I’m addicted, so what?
    3. Maya Darjani – Ancient as the Stars – Some very promising indie space opera. I bought the first book and pre-ordered the second. I need some more science fiction in my life.
    4. William Gibson – Burning Chrome – More cyberpunk… is anyone surprised?
    5. Peter F. Hamilton – Exodus – I’ve got this book in gorgeous TBB edition. I’m looking forward to playing a game when it comes out. Before that I’ll dive into the lore of this universe.
    6. Anthony Ryan – A Tide of Black Steel – I’m a fan of the Nordic culture, and sometimes I need to read some fantasy. I heard really good reviews about Anthony Ryan’s style and prose, so let’s try it out!

    I’m pretty sure there will be some changes during the month, but that’s the initial plan. And yeah, I plan to review them all for you.

  • Review #3 – The book that has never been on my TBR list

    Review #3 – The book that has never been on my TBR list

    Not so long I’ve joined Twitter’s (yes, its name is Twitter) Book Bubble. I liked to read about new releases from the authors themselves. I adore the fact that I can communicate with authors, buy their book, read it, and then tell them about what I liked, didn’t like and, most importantly, I like to be helpful. I like to share with people my almost 40-year bookworm experience and tell them about my favorite books. The time I joined the community perfectly aligned with the start of the so-called Spooky Season, the whole month of October has been dedicated to the cruel, gory and scary world of horror fiction. I’m not really a fan of horrors myself, but you know, you need to play the game according to the rules. So I picked a couple of safe options, Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Warhammer 40k’s Lelith Hesperax, just to be in the flow, and jumped into the season.

    What else is important is that the indie community is very inventive and creative, especially when it is about their main genre. So all the indie authors started to promote their horror novel, but honestly, I’d been indifferent till some nice book trailer hit my thread. Here it is:

    And I was hooked at once. Bought the book, finished the current read and here we are looking at each other, me and this creepy skull on the cover.

    At first I was a bit bored, kind of long and fundamental setup, some very strange relationship, no, wait, not strange… abusive… cruel… wait, what? What the fuck? What did he do to HER? Shit!!! And it took me three days to finish this novel…

    I liked how the backstory of both main characters was divided in small chunks and we were spoon-fed with it along the whole book. The characters are as broken as possible, with their own flaws and fears, traumas and strengths. Their inner conflicts were written nicely and believably. Although I always felt both sympathetic and empathetic to them, I wanted them to survive. Kate, the first main character, broken by her abusive, cruel, and psychopathic husband Connor, (“I love you, Kate. Do you love me?” – fucking goosebumps…) tries to find her place in this new world after one year of their “marriage”. She has no survivalist skills except for her inhuman power of will. And Nick, an ex-marine, broken by his military service in Afghanistan, has a lot of bodies in his mind closet and is very close to killing himself. He has all the skills needed except the will to live. A perfect match, you would say…

    The world around them wasn’t nice and helpful. Usual post-apocalyptic shithole, as it is shown in every second Hollywood movie. A typical American suburb I have never been to. When imagining what it could look like, I saw scenes from “The Last of Us”, “Resident Evil”, and “Leave the World Behind”. Quite believable, but nothing special. What I liked about the world was how organically all the characters lived in this world, how they were a part of it. All the scenes were detailed enough and used a lot. And the non-main characters were really good. Every person Nick and Kate were interacting with were well-written, with their own goals, motivations, desires (that’s important), and fears (that’s even more important). Some characters were just disgusting (hey Connor), but again, very believable. Some were traditional zombie-apocalypse buddies (hello Jeff), but with a couple of differences that help them to stand out of the crowd.

    The Infected. I don’t want to spoil it at all. They were creepy, they were scary. Every encounter with them was possibly lethal for the character. There were a lot of them, different types of them and they had some kind of lore. 

    The plot is a traditional road movie. Characters are in the Point A, need to get to the Point B, occasionally making a couple of detours with a couple of pot twists and surprises. At the same time it’s amazing how well it’s written. It’s the first Molly Macabre’s novel and the writing is top tier. Action scenes are very realistic, but without much gore. Some moments are really fucking scary (laughing girl). What I found especially outstanding and touching are scenes in the basement. Oh boy, it was tough for me to crawl through them, the emotional burden was so real and overwhelming, I had to make pauses during the reading.

    The ending is fucked up. Didn’t like it at all. I don’t want to go into the spoiler area, but after all the adventures I’d prefer something more inventive. Now I’m waiting for the second book and its ending to be “the right one”.

    Some scenes were nice fan service, I liked them a lot. The whole mansion plotline, Kate reading a book, etc. Magnificent! Big and scary hospital, some dumb decisions – this book is a modern horror classics! Definitely!

    Conclusion: even if you are not into horror, like me, you will like the novel. It is a well-written, well-paced zombie horror adventure with believable broken characters and some really scary scenes. You can find some psychological thriller elements with moments that are beyond disturbing. Try it out!